National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-18
COURTSHLP AND MATRLM0NY IN
GERMANY

Berlin Correspondence of London Eews.l
In default Of public announcement of be-
trothal, people in the habit of watching the
actors from evening to evening may tell by one
infallible sign when the happy climax is
reached. As soon as the swain begins to pay
the young lady's reckoning in addition TO his
own, depend on 1t they are engaged. Up to
that time the maiden's Gansebraten has been
reokoned at the close of every evening with
the account of the family, and paid for by the
fond parent; but now the burden has been
lightened. The future son-in-lsW meets his
sweetheart's expenses, but them alone. Even
If there be nobody else with them but the
mother, she always pays her own bill. Night
AFTER night one may see ct the same restaurant
q young man pay for himself and his sweet
heart, while the worthy matron just as regu-
larly is left to the resources Of her own purse.
If the three visit the theatre he purchases stalls
for two, while the mother takes her place in
the qIeus, and looks out for herself, and the
rule is scarcely ever broken.
lift be said, on the one hand, that the mother,
having shuf1ed of the responsibility Of her
daughters entertainment, ought to be satisfied
with that, It may be urged, on the other hand,
that in view Of the fidelity and regularity ex-
pected of German lover, the support Of the
young lady is in itself enough, and he ought
not to be asked to have the mother superadded
at least until after the marriage. Young
people engaged are expected TO pass three hun
dred and sixty-fve evenings q year in each
others society. II they belong to the middle
or lower classes this phenomenon is generally
witnessed at cheap beer houses and gardens,
varied In summer by an occasional rural ex-
cursion. If they have a more exalted position
in the social scale, there will generally be IA
afnfnu the victim az he bOrna
of the intended, and for beer gardens they will
now and then substitute 9 concert or 9 play
But the full quota Of evenings is always rigor-
ously sxacted.
Berlin is fast outgrowing slow matrimonial
machinery. The diplomacy of the mother and
the harmless arts of the daughter are giving
way to the more simple and more expeditions
| system Of matrimonial agencies. An English
| reader would have some trouble in conceiVing
the progress made within year or two by that
extraordinary business, and not even a German
can forecast its future possibilities. It is not
| enough that there are women who, in seduc-
tive advertisements, make known their benev-
client purposes, and who, In modest apartments
and in private way, bring the anxious to-
| gether. Not even the slender veil of that de-
| gree Of prudizhness Is nov thrown over the
| traffic. There are now great offices, with their
managers, their matrons, their ledgers and HE
rarchy of clerks, and which offer applicants Of
either sex their choics from two or three hun
/ dred candidates.
/ They issue their catalogues, Ike the old book
shops, and omit no important details. Thus
the candidates will be classified something like
this: 1.-TWO hundred and fifty maidens from
the bourgeoisie, IT'S widows from the same
class, 30 maidens and widows from the aristOc-
racy, with fortunes, &C; !" and on the other
side, 1900 gentlemen, merchants and that class,
100 Government officials, so country landown-
I ers, &C." And recently the business has rissu
to the dignity Of an organ of its own. The
Matrimonial Journal, issued weekly, contains
the advertisements 81 these agencies, as we'll
as Of candidates themselves, notices OF books,
aud miscellaneous matters well calculated to
set forth the beauties Of married life and to en-
courage the wsyering.