Smyrna times., 1869-12-01
Chances of Marriage.

In olden times, says a Frenchman, who with
the usual assurance OF his countrymen, pretends
to know something about women, female beau
ty was so fascinating that it was a certain
means of securing husband. Now days, he
adds, men have reflected upon the subject, and
it is seldom that girl is married for her per-
sonal attractions, whatever they may be; so
she runs a great risk of always keeping her
honorable title of maid, if her parents are not
rich enough to pay a handsome sum to some
gallant or other to change it into that Of wife.
1t is an accident, or in fact a sort of prodigy,
when a man marrles a woman solely for her
beauty quality which has singularly fallen
in value in our mercenary days. If it ever
should take rise, it might be we'll to adopt
the Persian mode of reducing the number of
old maids This consisted in selling the beauti
full girls to those who were willing to buy them,
and giving the amount to the ugly so that the
handsomest endowed the ugliest; the second
in beauty, the second in ugness ct cetera.
But this plan would be, we fear, inapplicable
in our days; for there would be but few bid
ders for the beautiful women; and the ugly, 1t
the money was to go with them, would be the
only ones to find takers. Seriously, continues
our Frenchman-whO, it must be borne IN
mind, is speaking of France and not Of the
United States-marriage is tending to disap-
pear from our social habits. The number OF
old maids, especially Of the middle class, is in
creasing daily
A laborer or mechanic has no difficulty in
getting married. for his wife takes her share oi
work. In such case matrimOny is joint
stock association. The workingman spends less
when married than single, his clothes being
made and kept in repair at home; and the
more wholesome and less expensive nOurlsh
ment more than cOmpensates for any additiOna
expense of having another person to provide
for. This, we need not say, alludes to France
and may be more or less true, as we hope 1T Is
in our own country.
Among the rich, especially where the woman
brings handsome d0wry, marriage Is also pos
, sible but in the middle class, how can it b'
nowadays? All the young girls are brougb
up in the same way. Each one is so exclusive
ly adapted for the great prizes that there arr
none suitable for the inferior ones What ar
now called the accessories are far more thai
} what were formerly considered the hLraries o
r life. All kinds of equality have been tried a
various times but only one has been retained
: and that the most fatal of all-the equality Q
5 expense
Every girl is brought up with the idea tina
e she will draw, in the lottery of marriage, trs
t prize 1t is immagined that style and accom-
! plishments will make up for want OF fortune
This is a mistake they will only make it NOR
necessary-in fact, absolutely indispensable.
a Marriage is the greatest luxury man ca
< indulge in. When we reflect that all the W.
S men Of the middle class are nova days brougt
e UP to shine in society, that there are no longt
= any marked distinctions as far as expense
:, concerned, and that the standard of necessar
# living is fixed according to that of the riches
It a man must be indeed greatly in love if /
= does not hesitate before the mountain of We
o vet, silk and jewelry. that he must consume a
y his days in accomplishing, in order that h
e wife may be properly dressed"
So For men of this class woman is not compa
ion, to take share in proportion to her strengt