Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-09-14
A MATRIMONIAL MART IN ITALY.


A MATRIMONIAL MART IN ITALY.
A paper of the late Lady Amberley
in Macmilian's Magazine describes
visit she paid to novel institution in
Palermo Picture large, long room,
the centre portion of which is divided
| of from the sides and further end by an
iron grating. which forms cage. enter
ed only BY weu-barred street door,
through which visitors from the outer
world are admitted. Here they sit on
benches to converse with those on the
outside Of the iron grating. Friends of
the Sisters. or employees of the place and
the foster parents are the usual visitors.
Once . week. however. on Sunday morn
ings. from ten to twelve. this place is
| the scene of the most novel and ludi-
crous courtships. One of the objects of
this motherly establishment is to find
fit and proper husbands for the girls un-
der their charge, the one requisite being
that the young man is bound to show
himself in possession of sufficient means
| to maintain a wife in comfort before he
is allowed to aspire to the hand of one
Of these precious damsels. Having Civ
en- in his credentials of fitness to the
guardians, he receives q card which ad-
mits him next Sunday morning to an in
spection Of the candidates for matrimony.
There, sitting on a bench, if his Curl
osity and ardor will allow him to remain
sitting, he awaits the arrival on the 9TH
er side of the grating Of the lady supe-
rior, accompanied by gIrl. She has
been selected by the order of seniority
and capacity for household work, from
the hundred or more between seventeen
and twenty-one, awaiting for youth to
deliver them from their prison. The two
young people, both no doubt breathless
wrgu szgICdtIUn at uuc EnIpua uauOo
ceremony. have to take one long, fixed
look at each other. No word is spoken,
no sign made. These good sisters be-
Ieve so fully in the language Of the eye
that to their minds any addition is fu-
tile, and might but serve to mystify the
pure and perfect effect of love at first
sight. The look over. the lady superior
asks the man if he viii accept the maid
en- as his bride Should he answer in
the affirmative, the same question is put
to her, and if she bows her assent, the
betrothal has taken place, and they part
till the Sunday following.
The young lover again makes his ap.
pearsnce before the tribunal Of guardi
ans, and there the contract is signed
the day Of marriage fixed, and he Is Civ,
en- leave to bring the ring. earrings. {
!, wedding dress and confetti and present
them, through the grill Of course, TO hi
betrothed- Everything has to pass th'
scrutiny Of the sisters, for fear Of let
ter Of some tender word being slippcc
in with the gifts During the few Sun
days that intervene between the frs
love scene and the marriage, an hour
conversation within hearing Of the lad
superior is allowed, but not a touch j
; exchanged. The empty talk, interspers
ed with gigglIng, consists Of inquire
as to the wedding dress, the sort of can
, fstt most liked and the occupation an
place Of abode Of the suitor. Should th
young man refuse the first damsel pre-
sented to him he Is favored with th
sight Of three or more, but should b
still appear di6fcfk be is dismissed. Th
girl also has power Of refusal.
The marriage over, the task Of th
sisters Il done, and whether happiDee
and faithfalness are the result Of thi
heathenish rite they neyer inquire. vi
itors have wondered what iBdueemer
. there can be to make the youths VII
have the world 10 choose from come hel
:, in search Of wife. Two hundred an
!. fifty francs Is the great attraction. Th:
sura il given in dowry with each Of the
girls, and for that sum, il seems. Sic
] ] Ian Il willing to sell himself for lif
Tbose girls for whom the Institute
fails 10 find husbands are allowed
twenty-sns TO face temptations alon
and situations are foussd for them.