National Republican., 1883-06-26
MATCHMAKING.
A Bright Mother Phosphorus and shin
ting In Society.
Chambers's Journal

ting In Society.
Chamberss Journal
American mothers have acquired some rep
utation for skill and energy in connubial man
agement on behalf of their daughters. A
Partisan newspaper some time ago recorded
an exceedingly clever bit of Matchmaking
executed by an American lady Of this order
in brilliant style. Her eldest daughter had
sailed from New York with some friends for
tour to Europe, and after doing" the con.
tinent had returned to the French capital fer
several months Of rest and pleasure. At
tractive and clever she had many suitors
some more, some less desirable. She could
not marry them all, so she adroitly reduced
the number to two-the best of the lot, Of
course. Then she wrote home to her mamma,
explaining the exact situation Of affairs, add
ing that they were both so handsome, agree
able, well-connocted, and rich that she could
not decide between them and closed with the
question, What shall dor" Ten days later
she received cablegram from mamma; 81
sail tomorrow; hold both till come" The
next transatlantic steamer brought Mrs.
Blank with her second daughter, just turned
eighteen, and fresh from school. On her ar
rival the old lady at once took the helm of
affairs, and steered so dcftly through the dan
gerous waters that in a few weeks she had
reached port with all colors flying. To drop
metaphor, she attended tho wedding of her
daughters at the American chapel on the Same
morning After due examination she had de-
cided that neither Of tho nice fellows should
10 out of the family.
Here il an illustration of much less skill
full attempt at matchmaking with worry diff
fcrent donouemont. A certain member of
parliament, who owned extensive estates, was
| spending few days at tho residence of a
noble family. There were several interesting
and accomplished young ladies in tho family
to whom tho honorable member showed every
attention. Just as he was about to take leave,
| the nobleman's wife proceeded to consult him
upon matter which she declared was causing
hor no little distress. at is reported" said
the countess that you are to marry my
daughter Lucy, and what shall we do What
shall we say about it?" "Oh," replied the
considerate NJ. p, with much adroitness
"just say she refused me-"
We have said that men do not as rule
| figure conspicuously as natchmakers, nor do
they but tho Judgment aud policy exhib'
| tied in this connection by a knowing old gen
tleman of our acquaintance could hardly be
surpassed by the most accomplished tacticar
| of either sex. Brown" said neighbor tC
him one day, 81 don't see how it is that your
girls all marry of rs soon as they get old
enough, while none of mine can marry"
ooh! that's simple enough" he replied "a
marry my girls off on the buckwheat straw
principle"
But what principle is that? Never heard
of it before"
"Well, used to raise good deal of buck
wheat, and it puzzled me to know how to ge
rid of the straw. Nothing would eat it, anC
it was great bother to me. At last though
of plan. | stacked my buckwheat straw
nicely, and built high rail fence around II
My cattle, of course concluded that it mus
be something good, and at once tore down th'
fence and began to eat the straw. | drove
them away, and put up tho fence few times
but the more l hunted them off the moro anx
ious thoy became to cat the straw and eat |
they did, every hit of it. As | said marr!
my girls on the same principle. When
young man that ! don't like begins to cal
on my girls encourage him in every wa!
/ can. | tell him to come often and sta.
as late as he peases; aud l take pain
TO hint to the girls that / think they
better set their caps for him. 1t works frs
rate. He don't make many calls, for the girl
treat him as coolly as they can But when
young fellow that ] like comes around
man that think would suit mo for son-in
law--I don't let him make many calls bofor
give him to understand that he isn't wante
about my house. / tell the girls, too, tina
they shall not have anything to do with him
|
again. The plan always works exactly as
wish. The young folks begin to pity an
sympathize with each other; and the mex
thing know Is that they are engaged to h
married. When l see that they are deter
mined to marry of course give in, and pre-
tend to make the best Of it. That's the wa
| manage it,
An old lady who had several unmarried
daughters fed them largely on fish diet, be
cause, as she ingeniously observed fish is ric
in phosphorus, and phosphorus is the essen
tial thing in making matches. If the phos
phoric diet caused the young ladies to shin
in society, they in all probability did no
adopt IL in vain for, Just as fish are easi
attracted in tho night by any bright ligh
thrown upon the water, so young men ar
invariably found to flock after any girl VIII
"shines," even though her accomplishment
may be of very shallow, superficial, or phos
phOrescent character. No experienced mate
making mamma requires to be taught tn
value of display as an almost certain means c
attraction. That is the secret of the ball sur
pers and iced champagne, the heavy drcs:
makers bills, and the thousand and on
other items of extravaganza that have to h
mot in order that the young ladies may max
respectable appearance, and may fnis
with successful match. And that is why S
many Of these match making ventures hay
so often resulted in the most deplorable sc
quels. Display is met with display-the on
frequently as hollow and false as the othe
Tho distinguished foreigner or the fasc
mating young nobleman is discovered when
is too late to be nothing more nor less tina
an unprincipled adventurer; and the me
chant, who was supposed to be little if an.
thing short of millionaire, is found, al;
whom it is too late to be on the verge
bankruptcy. Very often in such match,
both parties are sold, and then the univers
verdict is, Serves them right"
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