Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-03-17
A PERSONAL and What Came
of il.

& wonder why so much money IS
wasted by people on matrimonial ad-
vertIsements.' said VIII Fowler to me
one day.
This was apropos Of nothing III rartic-
ular, for not word had been said for
ten minutes; but then he was always
popping absurd questions at you.
Il can understand mans going to
the theatre he continued. or sub
scribing to a soup-kitchen, or even being
fool enough to send bouquet TO some
pretty cul, but why on earth he should
tumble any more coin into the hungry
pockets Of these newspaper men is more
than can understand. Where does the
fun come in? OF course the chaps who
advertise haven't an idea of marrying
on such an introduction, and equally, OF
course. 10 woman nowadays is goose
enough toansver such an ad that is.
no woman with whom it would be any
pleasure TO correspond
It was a gloomy March day, and VIII
and I were toasting our feet before the
fire in his Chicago Office. He was a
married man, with a pretty wife and
several children, a yery clever writer
and possessed Of a private income more
than equal to his needs; I, a younger
class college friend Of his, and a PIN
feathered lawyer with certain heart en-
cacements which precluded all idea Of
other love affairs. The topic broached
by him was argued pro and con, and
the result was that I bet him dinner
that a carefully-worded matrimonial adj
yertisement would bring in at least fitty
answers, the loser 10 pay tor the publ
cation. After long consideration, in
which he good-naturedly took part, the
following card was written end subse-
quently published IN Sunday paper
noted for its personals:
aEAVING BEEN a WIDOWER FOR
EE two years, l wish to marry again. |
am thirty-hye years old, five feet ten
inches in height, thirty.nine inches
around the chest and have excellent
health, mental and physical. Being of
a somewhat phlegmatic temperament,
| neither ask nor proGer ardent love.
but simply desire that there shall be q
mutual respect, as my chief reason for
marrvlng Is that during my frequent
business absences from home my little
six-vear-old girl may be left in charge
of one who will guard her with moth
er's care. l am a commercial traveller
for a large Eastern house, own a subur-
ban cottage, which IS comfortably fur
nished and have $4,000 in U. 5. bonds.
Perfect respect will be felt for any lady
who may answer this advertisement,
and absolute secrecy will be observed,
whether the application be favOrably
received or not. Only those need apply
who will fairly answer to the following
description Age, between twenty and
thirty; education, good disposition,
not given to pickering or iault-findlng
health. good, and especially must be
free from any pulmonary compliant
appearance, rather pleasant than hand
some reputation that will bear the
closest scrutiny. In return ior these
excellent qualities a modest home and
gentle treatment are offered. Address
EDWARD CLARKE,-Onice.
Monday mornings mail settled the
wager, for by that delivery more than
the requisite number of letters came to
hand. BY Monday evening the city cor
respondence was about exhausted, bui
for days afterward notes came dropping
in from the country districts, the last
one coming all the way from Salt Lake
City, until the total number received
amounted TO one hundred and twenty
six. Of these large molety had beer
sent on speculation by women OF th'
lowest class. The next largest assort
ment came from the servant girl class
and a nice collection of pencil marks
bad English aud dirt they were Som'
had come from sewing"women, telling
pitiful stories, many of which bore evi
dence of their truth in their ineohcrence
Others. again-and there were a goo'
many of these-had been sent in joke
as we could easily see, while a dozen
perhaps, were startling revelations 0
life and sorrow among educated women
whose want struggled with the feelini
of shame. The aforementioned letter
made US feel very uncomfortable an
blackguardlsh, for their genuine grief
modification and establishment were
rebuke to our thoughtless joke, the onl