The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1878-10-18
Marrying BY Advertisement.

OF all the papers which / have CHANGED
to read in London, that which has most in
terested and fascinated me is one called the
Matrimonial Neaos-a weekly journal de-
voted to the promotion of marriages and
coniugal felicity. The cold formalities of
society and the rigid rules of etiquette i'm
pose such restrictions upon the sexes, that
thousands of marriagabla men and women
who never have chance of meeting
find in this organ the means of cOmmunica-
tion and arrangement. Some thousands of
advertisements appear ia its columns, and
they furnish rich reading. Notwithstand-
ing all that has been said in praise Of
blondes these columns show infallibly that
the desirable complexion is " dark" Most
of the women claim to be "dark and
"pretty.'' ga gentleman with wavy au-
burn hair, long blonde moustaches, allur-
ing eyes and Greek profile F" wishes. etc.
Another middle-aged, temperate, good
looking and respectable gentleman, who
does not chew or smoke tobacco, does not
swear, drink, or gamble; who is neither
rich nor poor, learned or unlearned, saint
nor devil, hypocrite nor sycophant, spend
thrift nor miser; no bigot in religion, no tY-
rant in politics, but believes in the golden
rule," etc., "wants to marry some woman
between the ages of 25 and 40. The wo-
man must have good disposition, wealthy,
respectable, good common sense and no
foolish pride ~
A cheerful husband he would be Beau
tiful and wealthy young American ladies
announce their readiness to marry English
gentlemen of good social position. Lonely
widows aim their shafts at priests of the
Church of England. They all have such
affectionate hearts, are so good-tempered,
SO pretty, so gentle, so accomplished, 80
capable of making life blissfuI and home
heavenly, that the male reader finds him
self quite desirous to marry dozen or two
of them at once. 1t is narrowing to the
feelings to see such opportunities flashing
before the face in mocking sort of man
ner. Some of the notices appeal to ones
sympathies. GA handsome widow of 30
years, with an income of e450 year, having
lost her only child, feels lonely and wishes
to marry again. Most Of the gentlemen
express readiness to better their cempo-
raj fortunes. Many of the women unseif-
ishly announce tina! money is no object If
only good appearance, or affection, Or SYM
pathy be secured"
Here is an advertisement that should not
60 long unanswered, one would think
ga widow lady, fair, fat and forty, with
e4o, 900, wishes to marry again." Isn't it
aggravating? A Congregational minister
puts in his plea for "a Christian lady with
means.' He guarantees any such person
happiness. A convert to Catholicism
wants ga humble. minded, dear little
wife ~ before Advent
Occasionally these correspondents, es-
pecially the widowers, drop into poetry and
make up sweet little notice that is ealcu-
lated to make some of the sparkling widows
weep for joy.
"Instead of fortune, will any gentleman,
between so and 10, marry titled lady,
ageo os, sfaIA, s1av1 f~--,
soft, bright eyes, sweet, refined voice, hair
one yard three inches long, the Norman
sign of high birth, pleasant, kind and eco
nomical ?'
Isn't that direct and honest If she only
had fortune, too. Many of the writers de-
scribe and define their religious convictions
and state the great advantages which they
can offer in Christian home and holy sur
roundings. These are usually men. and
one can easily fancy the sort of religious
discipline they would exercise.
Taken altogether. this Matrimao NAL Ne0s
strikes me as one of the most interesting of
journals, and it becomes a fair question
whether there ale not fools enough in the
United States to sustain and make very
profitable a similar publication. Corr.
Hartford Co1rGnt.