The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-06-17
Marriage Brokerage In Paris.

l.
SPENDTHRIFTs who have sQuandered
their fortunes, and need dowry to re-
an advertisement of q handsome, modest
and amiable young lady, with an income
OF $4,000 francs year They hasten to
write, and two days after receive re-
sponse. and with a hand trembling with
emotion they open this Cupid's missive,
which says such business cannot be done
by correspondence, and begs them to call
at his "bureau," assuring them that theirs
being the first communication, they will
have the preference. They imagine the
generally situated in very fine house
A valet in livery introduces you into a
magnificent saloon, ornamented with ex-
quisite taste, from whose open doors you
perceive succession of rich apartments.
Here Cupid reigns supreme. All the
paintings, statuettes and books are de voted
to this god. Two pretty children (hired,
After being kept waiting short time, the
broker appears, and excuses himself, upon
the plea Of business, for making you wait !;
after which he rings, and with an insinu
wine. When the same valet appears he
expresses his astonishment at seeing him
perform this service, and demands, with
An angry air, where is Pierre, Antoine
Francois He answers without hesitation
one has gone to the bank, another to
the opera to engage "loge" for madame,
and the third for the affair of the count
This deception is intended to make an
impression. The valet is the only servant
of the establishment, and is even the
father of the children in the saloon
This is only the prologue-now the come
dy commences.
Monsieur, have had the honor of ad-
dressing you in answer to the advertise
ment. When can be presented to this
lady! You are without profession? Yes
she is honorable them Your antece-
dents? You shall be informed of them.
The conversation continues thus, in order
that the broker msy form an idea of the
degree of intelligence of his victim and
what precautions to take to prevent COM
promising himself l shall expect only
five per cent. upon the dowry. Very well
Payable when you receive it. Admirable.
But before going further the broker de-
mands the fees of the bureau for ex-
penses incurred in making inquiries, &C.,
which vary according to the credulity of
the visitor and the amount of the dOwry.
He asks 400 francs, adding that with 100
more you will have the right of choosing
for six months from all the ladies in my
establishment Such tempting Offer
could not he resisted-so the applicant
gives the 500 frsncs-500 francs In ex-
change for his money he receives receipt
III of m pQd oQr-wlth nf
the agreement-fOr which he must pay 10
francs extra-51O francs.
He waits with impatience the moment
of the first interview. At last the broker
presents him. The lady is escorted by her
aunt. They are mutually pleased, and
after short interchange Of compliments
they leave the room. He wishes to escort
them to their carriage; this the broker
prevents, as they belong to the establish
ment, being hired for five francs per day,
and the elegant dresses and articles of the
toilet necessary for their transformation,
(for they are blondes or brunettes, accord
ing to the taste of the dupe), are furnished
by the broker. He insinuates softly that
it is good idea TO invite them to break
fast at his house, for at table they can con-
verse freely, and after you will be invited
to visit them. For this breakfast of four
persons he askes sixty francs, which is
nothing, as he has the wines of which
he makes no account with friends-570
francs. AT breakfast the table is supplied
with large joints of cold meats and
splendid turkey, of which the ladies re-
fuse to partake when they are offered the
slightest morsel, and for two reasons-irst,
that wife who eats little is an advan-
tage; and secondly, that this same repast
will serve for other victims. Upon some
pretext the ladies leave the table, as they
recollect an engagement at their bankers,
etc. The broker softly informs him that
he must send to his native place to make
inquiries about him, and requests him to
call the next day and arrange this matter,
which he accordingly does, and there
meets accidentally the lady and her aunt.
A cerk is called who is to make the ne
cessary inquiries. This applicant must
pay the expenses of the journey, which
will amount to one hundred and forty
francs. He hesitates. The aunt very nat
urally declares that she will pay one half,
and to set the example draws out an ele-
CANT silk purse which she says is the work
of her niece-he admires it-she offers it
to him-Le accepts, and as il is n cessa y
to stI ike while the iron is hot, the clerk
leaves immediately-7lO francs. During
the CLERKS absence he visits the agency,
but does not meet the ladies. The broker
reminds him of the gift of the purse, and
wishing to make return, he gives bril-
liant of two hundred and fifty fra cs-960
francs. The clerk (who has not left Pars)
has been taken suddenly i'll on his jour
ney, which lasts four days, and costs eighty
francs-1, ,O4O francs. Finally the apph-
can't becomes impatient, but the broker
informs him, with an air of the deepest
grief, that he must consider himself very
fortunate his vigilance has saved
him from the great misfortune which
menaced him-tnat he has just learned
that the father of the young girl is con-
demned to the galleys for life-that she is
unworthy of HIM. He leaves, congratu-
lsting himself upon his escane. The
trick is PLAYED, leaving room for another.
Boston Commercial Bulletin.