The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-07-28
New York Tine, !,

need not rush to it in the exnec.afi5n
that they will Immediately LIE furnished
with husbands or wives, for neither hus.
bands or wives are kept in stock-not
even Ineligible ones. Its tl,,ouyh the
failure OF its patrons to NARY in fact
hat "a matrimonial Insurance. eamnauv ia
enabled to live. As, soon as the patron
narries. the company loses money. There
have been several such Companies in oth.
or States, and some of them have been
wiped out o existence by acts of the Legis
la'ure- The Hrst effort 20 condac, such
business in this city, however, was nj ade
known through the following advertise
mcnt, which WAS found snusged away on
the last page of u morning new paper
yesterday:
q. 600 DowRY eNMARRIAGE
- l.OOU for circular. ..The Uni
Ssrsar Iiymenesl Associnlioa'' OF Califor-
MIA, for unmarried persons No.-Brosd
way, New York. Agents waatea.
The editor, in looking abons, thas office,
cast his eye on a reporter who is known
to be upon the sharp and ragged edge OF
matrimony, and At once sent hlra to the
address mentioned. With beef and butter
at their present prices, and house rents
way up against the ceiling, $1,000 dowry
/ is not 10 be sneeIed at, and it is with no
ordinary interest In his work that the
reporter fastened up Broadway until he
saw the sign OF the association tackled
against the side Of hallway. The COM
psay's name is not precisely as IS here
given, but that makes little difference,
| for every body knows how very little there
| is in name, aud the number, it will be
noticed, Is omitted entirely, solely be-
cause toe much publicity would overrun
the company with business and clog the
wheels Of lis machinery. The building
was one OF those old structures that for
tunateIy are rapidly disappearing from
| Broadway, with steep and marrow stairs,
intricate passages, and great variety OF
! occupants on every floor. There was the
| sigu Of the Universal Hymeneai, etc, OF
California. 1t was small sign, printed
on pasleboArd, nailed agsiHst The wall
| against tho door, and against the steps
Ii wound up with the uuwelcome words
! 'Top Floor" A patient climb up the three
. flights OF steps was almost as coed as
going up to the American Institute Fair.
| Every room in the building seemed TO
I have it's separate trade, and in every
room men and women aud boys were at
| worn. Over one Of the door. was ths
/ sign, "China Member" In another roo N
lace-makerz were at work. There were
picture frame makers, yarnishers, and ar
| iisans OF all sorts. In one room, whose
| doors were cloged, abe workmen were
presumably forging the golden chains of
| wodlock.
The Office OF the Universal Hypeneal,
etc, OF California, being on The top floor
and the day being warm AID sullry, a re
porter in the last stages OF exhaustion
| walked into the Office, the door being al jar,
and said Good after oonn TO the asso
crAtion. The association sat IN a chair
well tilted back against the vail its legs
stretched out 10 good advantage, aud its
boots exposed to the cooling breeze tha,
might haze been waited through the win
dow, but was not. IL had long iegs-the
association-and slim ones, attached TO a
body and head that have apparently seen
the joys and sorrows of not less Ihan
twenty years. + was precisely like go
ing into any of The big insurance compan
les Understanding this room in this
respect that the clerk on duty had moth
ing 10 do and did not seem particularly
anxious for business to brighten up. This
| one had more life about him, and vast
deal more politeness, than the Average in
surance clerk, but he was net exactly
weighed down with work. AS the repor-
ter entered he took reef in the port leg,
lowered the starboard limb, aud Slowed
around into a chair in front Of the desk.
care you the Universal Hymenesl As
ISOLATION, Of California;" the reporter
asked.
II am" the young man replied. with
refre shing frankness; and he iRm ediately
began to handle several bundles Of papers
and 10 make other preparations for bust
ness The reporter was compelled, how
ever, 10 explain The nature of his errand,
and TO announce that he was not just at
that moment contemplating the taking
out Of policy. 7hereupou the young
man produced a4oluminous circular that
shows with half glance how any young
man may secure 8 900 and wife by the
payment OF SI2 or $l5 to this obiiging
company. Putting together what was
| cleaned from this circular, what Was
learned from the young man twho was
the sole occupant of the othce) aud what
was found in the column of an extremely
interesting aud valuable newspaper call
ed the Marriage Insurance Journal, the
reporter is able to give the following
summary OF alleged facts concerning the
first marriage insurance concern that has
bad the assurance to hang out its sign in
this city:
To begin with, loss to members IS i'm
possible, for the circular says so IN type
too bold and black 10 be mistaken. The
company is said to be incorporated in
California, 10 be less than year old, and
TO have the usual assortment Of officers
none Of the names being familiar on this
side of the continent. Iis object so it is
ably If not POLITICALLY stated is ito i'm T.,
| prove the social, moral aud Intellectual
| condition OF each one OF its members who
] may become married while n member OF
! the association aud at an expense Within
| the reach OF all. The admission fee is So
for a one thousand dollar policy, payable
upon marriage. This does not give the
| insured person a chance, however 10 go
| on and marry his sweet heart at once and
! then claim his money. Any unmarried
person between 10 and rs years old can
| become ~ member, but she or he must
| have been q member OF the association for
| four years. Ii he marry sooner than this
/ he gets a few dollars, from Si0 to $500,
1 according TO the time he has he'll policy.
Fhe annual dues are only 81 which, any
body must admit, is cheap enough But
there was an innocent little paragraph in
the prospectus that looked TO the reporter
wonderfully ike the colored gentleman n
Tbs wood pile. If il had any meaning at
T all. There shall also be paid into the
corporation" 1t sAid, ''such Marriage as.
easements by each member as may be ,rs
| de<ed from time to time by The Beard Of
! Dsrecsers By resolution entered in the
inmates OF she corporation A Board OF
Directors coming from that part of the
country where boards order up another
assessment on mining stock every morn
ing before breakfast might possibly be
just a rrife too fond of ordering payments
to suit the members" No one thinking
seriously of naIrimony, however, aud
wanting thousand or two, will let
trife like this worry his mind. "rhere
is hereby created n fund" the circular
goes on 10 say. 80 be known rs The mar.