Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-04
MARITAL CONSULTATION OFFICE
PROPOSALS BROUGHT ABOUT BYA
MATRIMONIAL ExPkET.

disappeared Tor moment behind the
curtains, emerging again with the in.
vltation to walk 10, coupled with the
reassuring assertion that the matrimo-
NAL expert was willing to see her Wis
itor.
A young lady, heavily yelled and
richly dressed. talked 10 low tones to
her mother on low divan Just within
the curtained apartment In the fur.
Their apartment a lady of perhaps %
years, with 40 intelligent face sur
mounted by Langtry bangs, and wear.
log close fitting black silk, rose in
Acknowledgement Of the request TO see
the match making expert. There was
nothing Of the catch penny IN ltrimo.
NAL bureau air about her as the details
OF hel profession, as she called it,were
explained at length.
You see" she began, with a little
laugh, Il call myself matrimonial
expert, which is rather indefinite. |
should more properly term myself an
expert in reading the symptoms of
love. My business is not 50 much one
OF bringing about marriage, which is a
secondary consideration, as it is of
deciding whether a lover means mar,
riaee or means only to while away a
few idle hours in the company Of his
inamolits. so this office is in no sense
a matrimonial bureau. 1t is simply a
consultation Office"
But is there any demand for such
a profession as yours2'
Rather" was the laconic response.
New York is full of young men fairly
well of, club men ia good standing
and men Of old families, who, however,
never mean to marry. These confirmed
bachelors pay court season after season
to the daughters of our richest and
most highly connected residents. They
become attached to girl, after a fash
ion, and by assiduous attention and
careful fattery drive other admirers
from the field or relegate them to sub.
ordinate positions. With sublime
impudence these young fellows assume
an air OF protection. of ownership to-
ward their lady friends, which is as
deceptive to the susceptible misses as
it is to other manageable male ac>
quaintances. By these arts a we'll
bred, we'll educated man easily estab-
fishes for himself peculiar standing
in the eyes OF the young lady and Of
her family. His devotion is marked.
bis attentions thoroughly respectful
and apparently serious. aud he is be-
ievcd to be only waiting a favorable
opportunity to ask the momentous
question which is to unite two hearts
as one. But the question is never
asked.
OWNING THE SYMPTOMS.
Week after week passes by, and a
proposal is no nearer than at the be-
ginning OF their acquaintance. Oh
course" with an indignant toss Of the
head, "he is fairly lavish in expt nd
ing money upon her. He acts as e3-
corts to concert, theatre and opera; he
drives out with her, aud is always
ready to adjust her wraps at ball.
But he never proposes. That is what
VIC object to, and because OF that this
Office was established. Its object is
either to compel a declaration or to
leave the field open to admirers who
are serious in their intentions" and
the pretty expert tapped determined
tattoo with French heeled shoe upon
the floor.
1t was gently insinuated that Amer.
lean girls, and New York ladies in
particular, we're abundantly able to
take care ofthemselves 10 this respect,
and could very soon tell whether an
admirers attention would result in
anything beyond soft spoken words.
Nonsense. was the emphatio re
Spouse. That is a piece of fiction by
Henry Jr. American girls are as
susceptible as those of any other ma.
tionality, and the absence of all re
straint makes them fall more easily in
the habit Of accepting an escort with
out vulgar inquiry into his ultimate
intentions. With the natural deicacy
Of pure minded maiden, the Amer
lean girl leaves that to time and cir
cumstanees and the young man,
knowing this, takes advantage OF it."
The majority OF victims are
"Debutantes, OF course" she inter-
rupted with a disguised wave OF the
hand. ut may sound amusing, but |
assure you that the majority Of young
misses opportunities are utterly ruin.
ed by these professional lovers, as l
sometimes call them. The young lady,
with her fresh complexion and girlish
charms, you can readily see has a bet.
ter prospect Of contracting a suitable
alliance during her first season than at
any other time, Everything is in her
favor"
And you propose to remedy this
defect and to drive these young men
into matrimony or from the society
world2"
THEY MUST MARRY.
Exactly Through careful research
and at the expenditure Of minute
time and patience have collected the
names of all of the best known of
these professional lovers. These [
keep 10 this book" taking up a long
narrow ledger. My clients are fur
nished with printed slips containing
these names, to which they can turn
readily for reference. But this is only
part Of my business. The really
arduous labor consists in determining
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