Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-21
Chicago News.

ASkrelis OUT you always Wrlte IL u
adversely and one-sidedly. It is yer
strange that you won't permit US to a
least give our side of it,
,Mhe Is your side Of itT
We'll, I went into this bushes
only two months ago, Just as you wen
into your business, to make money
My husband became an invalid, and
had to do something for liviDg,and
thought this was just as honorable a
anything else. In fact, | believe it is
it properly conducted, q great dea
more beneficial to society than many
kinds of business that are considered
highly respectable"
What class OF people invoke your
match making skillp"
II have had dealings with only about
fifty persons as yet, and have found
them to belong to the middle class in
every respect. They are mostly mid
die aged people, although / have fol
my customers a young girl and a man
70 years old. They are never very
poor people, because very poor people
do not stand on tOrmalities, but make
acquaintance without assistance.
Neither are they rich people, because
rich people can spend their lives in
society an in travel. But a few Of
them are quite we'll off, and several of
them have few thousand dollars
worth Of property. So it is also with
their social position and refinement;
they come from neither the highest
nor the lowest stratum. As to moral
character, depraved people never ap-
ply because they can gain their end
without the expense and fOrmslity of
business like this"
"Ot what nationality are the appli>
cants?"
Mostly American; but / have had
eight or ten German people and about
s many French"
SOM"
Gentlemen call much more freely
than ladies', but the large majority Of
those who register with me apply by
letter. have from three to FIVE
callers every day, but they do not all
register. My letters come from all
over the United States. have Just
received an application from San
francisco.
why do these people find it neces-
sary to ask your help in finding hus-
bands and wives, instead Of doing like
other people who want to get mar.
ried2"
"Of course, you think it is because
OF some defect in character or person,
or some blemish on their reputation.
1t is very natural for you to think so,
especially as there is some little
foundation for that suppression.
But for the most part this impress
sion is the very reverse of the truth.
There are some applicants who have
misbehaved themselves, or who have
some marked defect, and who
think they can get married this way
though they could not in other ways,
10 which they find out they are mis-
taken. But as far as | can see, not
on.y do many good people need a
bureau to help them, but they need it
because they are good people You
know yourself that if you want to make
aequaintances with manageable peo.
pie you must dress finely and make
a business of going into society. Now
there are multitudes Of people of ex-
cellent domestic habits who have the
greatest aversion to frivolous or FASH
lonable concourses OF people, and who,
therefore, make very few acquaint>
ances among people of the opposite
sex, They are not only not bad peo-
pie, but they are the very best people
in the community; and yet, multitudes
Of them lead wretched lives because
they can't get married. 1t is from
this class mainly that my applicants
come.
Il keep register of all applicants
who pay my fee, and | take full de-
scriptions of all who register, and
generally their photographs, and
also a description of the mates de-
sired. Then, suppOsing it is a gen
tleman, l show him the description
and photographs of all the ladies
on my register who l think are likely
to please him without telling their
names. Out of these he selects a few
whom he thinks may please him, and
OF these | give him the true names
and addresses. He can write to them
or visit them, as he pleascs. If they
should get married, | expect an addi-
tional fee."
Now, do you not find that this
introduction of strangers to each
other leads to a great deal OF impost.
ure?"
mot at all. You see | do not
guarantee anybody to anybody else. |
expect that after | make them ac-
quainted with each other they will use
the same caution and circumspection
about getting married that they would
if they had met at a church sociabIe.
As general thing they furnish refer
ence, so that their standing can be
more easily and perfectly learned than
any other plan OF cOurtship. Some Of
my applicants have got married within
three weeks, but they need not be in
haste unless they choose"
What is the advantage of getting
acquainted in this way2"
well, you see, it shortens the pro-
cess very much. Suppose you wanted
to marry, and you wanted a wife
under twenty-five years Of age, Of
small stature with some figure, q
blonde, not a widow, in good health,
we'll educated, and living Nth her
parents. How long would it take you
to get acquainted with five such girls
who were not engaged, and who wanted
to marry, especially if you we're averse
to balls, paEtieg, picnios and church
sOciables9 It may be 1t would take