The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-20

allow his charming fancee to go else
where for . solemn and venerable spouse.
whether that he the explanation or not
OF the announcement, it is at least one
that the young man could carry with him
into society in his search for new bride.
Now there can he no doubt that the
publicity attending such matters in Ger
many Is very useful at times. A fright
1ul amount of mischief is frequently
caused IN England by the extreme shy
ness OF maidens who secretly pledge
snemselves to marry, and remain pro-
known. To begin with, unweicome suit.
ors hang about the house, and the nc.
cepted lover is driven to his wits end NV
jealousy; while the former are kent
idling their time away in "foolin9
round" girl who regards them not
when the neighbors begin to talk, and
an indefinite amount of scandal is pro-
duced. Elderly persons, who ought to
be at home saying their prayers, will de-
vote hours to watching how many times
in one evening q particular young man
dances with q particular young woman,
and afterward 60 about declaring how
that shameful creature is deceiving her
parents. By and by the secret oozes out
within o certain circle; but the outside
public knows nothing of it and is left
free to make comments if it find those
TWO young persons treating each other
with too much familiarity. The lover
stumb!es into thousand vexations every
day. II there is one thing more than an
other that drives him wild it is to hear
his divine Clarinda's name mentioned Nv
others and to be "chaffed" about his
intentions. Of course, if the Young
men knew, they would Us soon think of
tickling the snout of doing alligator as
OF bantering man really engaged about
any such thing. Then the young lady is
pleased to learn that her continual meet
ing with q certain gentleman in the row
in the morning has been remarked; and
curious elderly folks broadly hint that they
would. really like to know if there Is
anything in it." OF course there is
much in all this secrecy that girl likes.
She is willing to let few friends know !;
but to proclaim to the world her rela-
lions with the sutton sav0rs to her of un.
maidenly boldness. She is not 80 slow
to sanction the publication of marriage
advertisement. Then she feels that the
die is cast. But the German girl is
pretty much of the same opinion when
she is engaged; and she knows that en-
gagements which have been thus public
" announced are seldom broken off.
Marriages come to grief as well as en-
gagements; there is no certainty in life,
however amiable and Trustworthy the En-.
glish John and German Hans may appear
In the eyes of his beloved one. Senti.
ment aside, there are social advantages
accruing from the frank publication of
vious to the friends of the engaged young
people, if not to themselves.
But these advantages are as nothing
compared to those which would attend
the custom of formally and publicly
| giving notice when an engagement il
broken off. Of all the incidents of life
there is scarcely one which gives rise to
such an intolerable amount of scandal
as Cancelled engagement of marriage.
Speculation is set afi1e by it in a thou.
sand directions; and the more simple
and obvious the real reason for the cir
cumstance happens to he, the more
scornfully it is secuted by alarmed and
puzzled, but also delighted, friends
Scarcely anybody who is in the remotest
degree associated with either of the two
principal folks escapes the mitraileuse
shower of suggestions and suspicious
while the girl herself, though she be Of
tender as Juliet, as wise as Portia, and
as hardly entreated as Ophelia, is sure
to be called all manner of names BY
those of her lady friends who always
did consider her sly, conceitcd, and nc
better than she should be. Look, on the
other hand, at the opportunity such a
custom as that We mention would afford
to manly young fellow to come forward
and say: ut is with great regret I find
my circumstances not such as would
warrant my asking Miss Susan Smith to
torsake comfortable home;" or, my
uncle having proved mean, Miss Jane
Herbert very properly refuses to
halfpenny for HIMSELF" or, "This
is to give notice that, as Miss
Clara B. Seeley and myself having found
after long acquaintance that our tastes
do not quite agree, we cancel our engage.
mcnt, and prefer to remain friends, with
every sentiment of mutual esteem and
respect: And SO on in thousand cases,
in which the young lady would, as it
were, "leave the court without a stain
on her character" At present what is
the result of broken engagement when
the period of weeping and calling for a
nunnery is overs The girl earns good
deal of compassion among her friends
because she has been Tilted; and the
young man-who is probably quite limo
cent in the matter-is branded as a mon
ster not fit for this highly virtuous world
Then the story of her having been Tilted
gets abroad, and spreads and wakes luxu.
RANT, until its branches are as the
branches of the great tree Ygdrasil
Meanwhile, of course, young men who
might have become suitors are warned of
by vague hints and surmises. They can.
not 60 to the former lover and ask what
he found wrong about the girls temper,
or about her relations, or about the legacy
her aunt was supposed to have left her
All these things would be avoided if the
lover were to be allowed to insert brief
notice in the papers informing the world