The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-01-23
Sor the Iadies.
h-Making Mothers.

There are matchmaking mothers and
match breaking mothers. There are those,
who care only for wealth and position, and
who carry their daughters to market as SO
much dead weight for which to find a sat
isfactory purchaser. These women fix
their eyes on an eligible parfi-his eligi-
bility consisting solely in his possessions !;
and whether he is morally noble or infam-
Gus, man of thought or mere animal Of
low instincts, man whose love would
render a woman happy or one whose
coarse, ignoble nature will first make her
wretched and then degrade her to his own
level, is all one to the matchmaking
mother whose soul is in the settlement.
Women are born to suffer, she thinks,
sitting sigh as her eyes travel backward,
through the long years and the hard ex-
perienees which have made her what she is,
to those early days when she, too, had
hopes and aspirations, and belief in love
and moral harmony, in thought and spiri-
tual elevation, as superior to money and
title. And thinking Of this natural inher-
itance of woman to suffering, 1t seems to
her that II makes but little difference who
is destined to be the cause of their sorrow.
Men are the consecrated inquisitors aud
executioners Of the weaker sex, and the
weaker sex must submit. But while
acknowledging the necessity Of torture she
holds 1t more agreeable to be pulled BY
golden pincers than by iron ones; and
harmonious colors in Calcutta carpet and
velvet curtain, thousand-guinea pictures on
the walls and plaques Of rare old Sevrss,
are better things to look at in moment of
pain and wearincss than the hideous up
holstery ofa commonplace house furnished
by contract for loving young couple
starting in life on three hundred year.
Wherefore she holds that she has done the
duty required Of her when she provides
her daughter with material luxury by
means Of wclll-endowed husband, leaving
the heart and the mind to take caro- of
themselves.
A matchmaking mother of this kind,
careful only to land the biggest prize
foundering in the home seas, is a terror
to her neighborhood. The men with
places and incomes feel that when she has
once fixed her eyes on them, she holds
them as the Ancient Mariner held the
weddiag guest; and they know that they
might as well give in with good grace at
first, seeing that they have to give in at
last. However brave the fight, however
gallant the resistance, the contract is as
good as signed when the matchmaking
mother Of intelligence, viii, tact and nerve
has decided firmly ON getting such and
such gilded youth for her daughter.
Aud no other mother need enter the lists
against her. Not even the mans own
iuclinations score point permanently in
his favor. The spell is on him, he has to
succumb, aud he ful6ls bis destiny. We
may imagine the despair that settles down
on the mothers who have maidens to
marry, and on those maidens themselves,
when Lady Libellala poises before strik-
ing. Tho whole world about her knows
her intention aud sees her aim; but all
they have to do is to watch and wait, and
assist at the triumph with wry faces veiled
in smiles when the day Of triumph dawns
Many poor little timid girl has recently
nourished an absorbing passion for young
Cresus, whom she would have loved Just
as dearly If only clerk in Government
Office, as she does now with his ten thou
sand a year. He is caught away from her
sfectionate little soul by Lady Libellula,
intent only on bis rent roll, for her own
special Griselda. II things had been left
to nature and themselves, the golden ball
would probably have spun round to the
true love, and have rested there for
Crusus had cast friendly glances that way,
and she would have made him as happy BY
her affection as she herself would have
been happy in his. But what eau timid
little lambs DO when eagles are in the sky
foraging for their eycries? Hawks, how