New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-01
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M4RRIED EOR HORSE


matrimonial misfortunes of young lady in Rich
mond, Va The story may be briefly repeated.
This girl, said to be estimable and respectable
In Inc ChWctmdn an advertisement for governess.
She applied by letter for the position, when the
scampish advertiser appeared in person at Rich
mond. and was pleased with the young woman
that he married her Immediately previously settling
$4,000 upon her The bridegroom has turned out TO
be forger and miscellaneous swinder The bridal
tour has been suddenly interrupted The gentlemanly
groom has fled to Canada. The bride has returned
to her old home i'll Richmond. This is the whole
ry. Is it tragedy comedyY Something, per-
haps, OF BOTH AT any rate 1T Is warning, and as
such we trust that all young well as mddle-aged
women, IN danger of extemporaneous betrothals
will consider it,
1t seems almost inexplicable that any woman not
an idiot should run the frghtful risk of marrying
man of whom she could know accurately nothing,
and with whom it was impossible for her to be suf-
hcentiy we'll acq TAINTED to warrant such venture.
Yet, it is thing which happens constantly and La
mentabe 1T is to consider its frequency Certainly in
so important and final matter as that of marriage
even though love should be of the question, as
usually in the nature of things it be when tho
parties have known each other only for few days,
a reasonable degree of prudence would point to
cautious delay. Yet this Richmond bride, at the
shortest notice, accepted all the statements of a
scoundrel regarding himself his antecedents and his
fortune, and now finds herself lamentably betrayed
and deserted. Expecting to be rich, she is poorer
than ever. Her " settlement" of $4,000 is mere
waste paper. Her husband will be sent to some
State Prison for considerable term of years. if the
law is lucky enough to catch him. If this is not
ruin, it is something very much like it, for such a
marriage hardly social position, while, of
course, it precudes. the side of its victim,
almost all hope of another and more fortunate union
We DO not like to speak harshly Of one who has
been so cruelty misused but what shall we say of
her family and friends" who are said to have
sanctioned by their approval this ill-omened mar
Tiage Really, they have occasion to congratu-
late themselves upon the sagacty which they have
exhibited, any than the bride herself
Where their wisdom, their sound
judgment and their sense of decency, when
they permitted kinswoman to join herself to an
entire stranger 2 Did they never hear of adven-
turers Had they never read in the newspapers of
forged letters of introduction If the women con-
cened, the bride and her poor mother knew moth
ing Of the wickedness of this world were the male
kinsfok of the girl just ignorantly verdant Mr.
Thomas Marvin, the feonious adventurer, with his
clumsy forgcres, with his vulgar swindling expedi-
ents and cheap criminal methods ought to have
been able to deceive nobody in that intelligent city
and yet he was sharp enough to take in the widow
and her daughter. and all the daughters unces and
aunts, and finally the officers of the First National
Bank of Richmond No wonder the rogues multi
ply when dupes made with such facility.
Answering advertisements is very natural thing
vet it requires caution, especially when the adver-
tIsements are of a particular class. Women, es-
pecially, cannot be too much upon the alert, for
the first expedient of knave with designs
upon them is to advertise. So he plays
upon their poverty, their credulity, their
honest desire for employment. He thus manages to
make their acquaintance, and then proceeds to
further inquities great deal of bgamy, a crime
becoming altogether too common, is forwarded
in this way to say nothing of other scoundrelisms
the perpetrators of which richly deserve hanging
if anybody does. There is "a social sensation y;
there paragraphs in the newspapers: it is not
for want of exposure that these knaveries are re-
peated; yet scandalously frequent they continue to
be. They will be less so, if women will be little
more cautious and will remember that there may be
worse things than life of single difficulties and
unassisted struggles.