Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-01
MATRIMONY BY SYSTEM.
The Bureau Methods Of Avoiding Risks
Of Misfifs

That matrimonial bureau exists In Gotham
has frequently been stated in letters from that
city; but many have regarded the statements as
being more or less romantic. A correspondent
OF the Hartford Times, however, has visited the
place and talked thus with the proprietor:
'Who are the people who want to get mar
ried through your concern?" l asked him.
He was rather pleased than otherwise at nv
visit, and fitting back his chair motioned me to
seat In the big bare room furnished with one
table at which he sat, two chairs and pile of
letters scattered over the mantel piece and on
the floor. lyon say In your circular" l con-
tinued, ''that the need of a marriage bureau is
iong-felt want. Why"
gu may not have any trouble In getting
married, said my German friend, with a COM
plimentary smile: 'but no one not in this bus-
ness knows how many persons who want to get
married do not succeed without just such ju-
dicous aid as our long experience enables US to
give. For instance, a great many men do not
know the kind of wife they ought to propose
for and consequently, when they do ask lady
in marriage. they are refused, and if they do
get married it does not turn out happy
match Perhaps you would not believe that
could tell you the kind of q wife you want bet
ter than you can yourself"
most decidedly did not believe anything of
the kind, but said 'Of course and smiled as
sent
Then there are the young men," he went
on. who are too timid to make ladys &C.
quantance, or have no time for counting or
are in great hurry. / had an application last
week from a cOal-heaver on board a govern
ment vessel which was to leave for Australia in
two days. He had just come back from a three
years voyage. to find his wife dead and his four
children living on the charity Of neighbors His
vessel was only in port three days, but he had
to find wife in that time who would take care
OF his children for the next three wears He
came here, told US what he wanted, and we
nXed him out the next morning with q very re-
spectacle woman, whose only defect we found
out afterWard was an occasional fit Of insanity.
She was sane when she married the sailor. how
ever, and he went Off happy. A good many men
are employed in places where there are no wo-
men within fifty miles, and have no time to go
away for wife. Here is letter from man
who has a herd of 2.OOO hogs in Colorado, who
wants wife sent c. 0. D., that Is to say he will
take her if she suits when she gets out there
or return her. carriage and expenses paid, both
ways. We sent him a dozen assorted photo
graphs yesterday, including girl who has
played CircaSsian beauty in Bowery museum
for the last twenty wears He will make Sc
lection and send us the cash for the railroad
fares out there. The chances are that he will
take whatever we send him. for many expert
ments would cost too much money! Besides
those who have. no time or chance to go court
ing themselves. there is class of foreigners
who do not know enough English to propose
marriage, and want to marry an American wife
so as TO learn the language The business pays
pretty well SO far. but some people are mighty
particular: we have introduced one young man
to % ladies and he isn't satisfied. He says one
Is TOO small and another too big and so on. He
doesn't know what he does want.
This Is the story which the manager of the
matrimonial bureau tells and l am sorry to be-
lieve that he exaggerates somewhat the extent
of his business