The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
AN ~ovERW0RKED BUSINESS.

AN OvERWORKED BUSINESS.
1t is often remarked in these days, when
the advancement of women in various paths
is so rapid, that when one woman begins to
follow any hitherto unaccustomed indus
trial pursuit a thousand others Immediately
tread in her footsteps. In no direction is
this popularity more apparent than in the
remuneratiYe business known as breach-of-
promise cases, 1t is true that in spite of the
remains a large class of non-progressive peo-
pie who fail to see the benefit which inheres
to them, and so prejudiced that they look
askance at the woman or man who brings a
lucrative engagement of this sort into the
courts. These conservative persons inquire
why a woman should ask a'pecuniary recon-
pense for having lost a man who liked
another woman better. If she had due self
respect she should be glad, they think, to be
rid of a Barkis so manifestly I'M
willin', and should thank her
otoAo bhdb oAC dhO OOb LILO iAShO oLAA LAO
manners before she was married to him. 1t
is unfortunate, of course, that a -%confiding
woman should have her affections tram
pied upon by a false and p%erfidious man, but
the salve which is found in courts appears to
these prejudice1'observers to have a sting and
a lack of healing power. Some of them could
understand it better if, by such suit, the OBJ
ject of the fair ones love could be brought
back to her feet, but the affair is usually
complicated by the fact that he is married to
another, and if not, it is seldom that an ag-
grieved woman really wishes to enforce the
contract which the opposite party has been
disposed to break. The grumblers, also, are
inclined to cast ridicule Upon the plea that 4
breach of promise suit ''vindicates" a
woman in any respect. When the
man whom she expects to marry
fails to come to time, the
consequences are sometimes embarrassing to
the deserted one, especially if she has told
all her five hundred friends of the expected
event, and has dilated, after the manner of
women, upon the gorgeousness Of her trous-
seau and other matters incidental to the occa-
sion. 1t is unpleasant in such cases to have
the affair fall through, but the old-fashioned
persons before alluded to insist that the
public attention called to her by the suit for
p~lainant than any proofs she may bring that
she was not untruthful and basely pretend
ing to have been under a matrimonial en-
gagement. They say, not without reason,
that if a woman's friends cannot accept her
word without further evidence it can really
matter very little on either side whether
her truthfulness is proved or not.
These critical persons, it is very plain,
do not look at the subject from
the point of view which prevails more
and more among the feminine population.
The great problem among women is how
they shall secure a comfortable living. The
larger number OF them, of course, solve the
problem more or less successfully by the SIM
pie expedient of getting married, but others
merely become engaged. lucy Will marry
the man, if must be, but they would much
prefer such wealth as ne may chance to pos
sess without the appendage of a husband at
tached thereto. TIL ere is no heater or more
expeditions way of accomplishing this than
by a suit for breach of promise. The average
man is prone to break his promises-tender
promises like these-or at least to pledge his
valuable self to more than one fair maiden,
and there is no difficulty whatever in prov
ing him to be a villain of deepest dye.
The jury invariably finds that
he is a villain, and assesses damages in pro-
portion to the attractions of the plaintiff.
This tendency upon the part Of juries has
not been lost upon the army of women who
are looking out for lucrative employment.
1t is not, it is true, a pursuit which can be
followed for any great length of time by the
same woman, some difficulty being expert
enced after the first trial in making engage
ments with desirable parties. This difficulty
is surmounted, however, by laying claims to
a sufficient sum Of money to sustain the vic