Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-24
He Fell in Love With Her Photo.
graph.
IN. Y. Sun.

There have been instances of engagements of
marriage entered into by men and women who
had never seen one another, but whose hearts
had been taken captive in the course or an
epiStolary correspondence. Sometimes they
have turned out happily, though personal ac-
quaintance with the object OF your affection is
always desirable, and Is, indeed. generally con-
Sidered essential before contract OF marriage
is made.
Men, too have fallen in love, OF thought they
were IN love, with women whom they have seen
only as represented In their Photographic por-
traits. But even photograph may give you a
very false impression both or the looks and the
character OF The Individual The photographers
have arts by which they smooth away wrinkles
and otherwise enhance the beauty OF the sitter
in the picture they produce.
A photograph, therefore, Is not safe thing to
1all III love with, as young man in New Jersey
has found out The result in this case he thus
describes In letter to the sun:
SIR: am 20 years old and am in middling
circumstances. OF late l have established a
little business OF my own, and am doing we'll
formed an acquaintance with girl one year
older than myself through her picture and she
correspondent with me for almost year. Then
made visit TO her place of residence. At the
nrst glance did not approve OF her. My love
uonate. almost too affectionate for me. Whether
II Is her looks or her way / don't know. Her
parents are in good circumstances. quit cor
responding With her, but she continually writes
10 my parents TO convert me TO resist my aver
sion to her. promised to marry her before see
Ing her. naturally had some love fever or an
other. In her picture she looked much younger
and better than actually found her.
Had better marry her, or had better walt
until ma some young girl actually do love?
We print the above letter rather as a warning
10 young men generally than with any purpose
olueclulpg Tor The writer how he shall get him.
sen OUT OF the scrape into which his folly has
thrown MN An engagement OF marriage is
one OF the most serious and important con-
tracts man can assume, and IL he rushes into
IL under The impulse of a fancy inspired by a
portrait the original OF which he has not seen
ness.
The Circumstance that to his eve his CORE
srondent photograph made her out better look
ing than She really IS, cannot be accented as a
lustihcation Tor his backing out OF the engage
ment, either in court OF law or at the tribunal
OF honor and sentiment 1t was not q deceit she
practlsed on hin, and she can contend that the
photograph does not multiply her charms or
soften the angularitleS OF her countenance
moreover, before engaging himself 10 her he had
u IN MS power TO compare the photograph with
her real locks. 49, "
We can Go nothing for our dissatisfied New
Jersey friend. who fell in love with the work OF
lhe photographer, only to De disenchanted
III MaT ,a ne saw me woman as nature made her.
ne may be a poor reader OF character as indI-
Gated in the pictured countenance or the artist
may rave SO touched up the negative that the
portrait did not accurately represent his sweet
heart. Perhaps the photograph happened to
eaten her most becoming expression or she
may NAVY, nave SO posed as to exhibit only as few as
VI hSi You can't
DIANE her Tor wishing to look as well as she
tSuid IN hef photograph. Most OF us like to do
lnat, ana IL the photographers did not make
would be in a bad way NA'tN|''
The lesson OF this unfortunate engagement is
never 20 propose marriage TO a woman unless
you have actually seen her In person and he
come acquainted with her character A woman
who Is very ugly In her looks, and far from
SWeet-temnered, may write letters which exhale
the aroma OF sympathy and tenderness, and a
woman on whom time and care and disappoint-
ment ha, told sadly may be made to appear
quite fresh and blooming In photograph looked
at Dy an inexperienced observer.
moreover, even IL you are willing to take a
woman for wife whom you have never seen,
a dS ABOUT whom 20. have no personal knOwl.
edge, II she Is worth having she IS pretty s,1re
Aol 10 want you under such circumstances.