The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-14
MATCH MAKING.
How Husbands Are Secured

reputation for skill and energy in con
nubial Management on behalf of their
daughters. A Partisan newspaper some
time ago recorded an Exceedingly clever
bit of matchmaking executed by an Amer
can lady of this order in brilliant style
Her eldest daughter had sailed from New
York with some friends for tour of
Europe. and, after doing" the continent
had returned to the French capital for
several months of rest and pleasuring.
Attractive and clever, she had many sui
tors, some more, some less desirable She
could not marry them all, so she aforitly
reduced the number to twO-the best of
the lot, of course. Then she wrote home
TO her mamma, explaining the exact con
ditlon of affairs, adding that they were
both so handsome, agreeable, well-con-
nected, and rich, that she could not decide
between them, and closed with the Ques-
ton What shall | do?" Ten DAYS later
she received cablegram from mamma:
Il sail Tomorrow; hold both till come.
The next transatlantic steamer brought
Mrs. Blank, with her second daughter,
just turned IS, and fresh from school.
On her arrival. the old lady at once took
the helm of affairs, and steered so deity
through the dangerous waters that in a
few weeks she had reached port with all
colors flying To drop metaphor she
attended the wedding of her two daugh-
tiers at the American chapel on the same
morning. After due examination she
had decided that neither of the nice fell
lows should go out of the family.
Here is an illustration of much less
skillful attempt at matchmaking, with a
very different denouement. A certain
member of parliament who owned extern
sive estates was spending few days at
the residence of noble family There
were seVeral interesting and accomplish
ed young ladies in the family, to whom
the honorable member showed every atten
ton. Just as he was about to take leave
the noblemiaH's wife proceeded to consult
him upon matter which, she declared,
was causing her no little distress. 1T is
reported, Said the countess, that you
are to marry my daughter Lucy, and
what shall we do? What shall we say
abou: IT." "Oh," replied the consideratC
NJ. p, with adroitness, Just say she re
fused me-"
We have said that men do not, as a rule
figure cOnspicuOusly as match makers; MOI
do they; but the judgment and policy ex-
hibited in this connection by Knowing
old gentlemen of our acquaintance could
hardly be surpassed by the most accom-
plished tactician of either sex. Brown,
said neighbor to him one day, Il dom
see how it is that your girls all marry of
as soon as they get old enough, while
none of mine can marry"
'Oh, that's simple enough, he replied
Il marry my girls off on the buckwheat-
straw principle"
''Butwhat principle is thatY Neve
heard of it before"
well, used to raise good deal o
bnckwheat, and it puzzled me to know
how to get rid of the straw. Nothin!
would eat it and it was great bother t,
me. At last thought of plan. l stack
ed my buckwheat straw nicely and bull
high rail fence around it. My cattle. 0
course concluded that is must be some
thing good, and at once tore down tn
fence and began to eat the straw
drove them away and put up the fence
few times; but the more l hunted ther
of the more anxious they became t
eat thestraw; and eat it they did ever
bit Of it. As I said, marry my girls o
the same principle, When a young ma
that don't like begins to call on m
girls encourage him in every way l car
| tell him to come often and stay as lat
as he pleasesi and take pains 10 hint I
the girlssthat / think they'd better 81
their caps for him If works first-ratt
He doesn't make many calls, for the CIR
treat him coolly as they can. But whe
young fellow that like comes arount
man that / think would suit me for
son-in-law, don't let him make man
calls before give him to understand tn,
he isn't wanted about the house / tie
the girls, too, that they shall not hay
anything to do with him, and give the
orders never to speak to him again. I'll
plan always works exactly as | wisl
The young folks begin to pity an
sympathize with each other; and the ne!
thing / know is that they are engaged
be married. When / see that they a
determined to marry, of course, give il
and pretend to make the best of it. That
. the way manage it,"
An old lady who had several unmarrit
daughters fed them largely on fish die
because, as she ingenIously observed, tis
Is rich in phosphorus. and phosphorus
the essential thing inmaking matches.
the phosphoric diet caused the youn
ladies to shine in society, they in a
probability did not adopt in vain; 70
Just as fish are easily attracted in IL
night by any bright light thrown upo
the water, so young men are invariab
found to flock after any girl who "shines
even though her accomplishments ma