St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-27
English Wife Hunters.


The Italians and French aristocrats are
noted for their persisteney in the practice Of
''wife hunting" or wife seeking, and partie-
ularly among American or Epglsh women
of financial fortune. Bat doubt IL any Of
these national spOrtsmen go so far aheld as
the Englishman. He hunts everywhere.
lind the following advertisement in a select
Partisan society journal for the upper ten, aud
devoted to what 1t terms 'high life." This
advertisement is addressed ito English or
American ladies'" aud / translate verbatim:
"a gentleman of frst-rate county family.
and who has large property, unfortunately
incumbered, fine residence and domain, is
anxious to make the acquaintance of a lady
of birth and position, who has large for
tune in her own right
Advertiser is thirty-fve years Of age, holds
very high public and private position, and
has served in a distinguished cavalry regi-
ment He is accomplished and fond of
country life and its pursuits. ANY lady an
swering the above description and who writes
to --, London, inclosing carte de vsite.
and give real name and address, will be
treated with the strctest confidence and
honor, as this advertisement is perfectly
bona fde"
omit the address given in the above.
Doubling the bona fides indicated. | called
on the managing editor OF the ''high hle',
Journal, capital good fellow whom I have
known many years, and asked him If he
knew anything OF the author Of this adver-
usement. He said yes, and that be was as
represented, and a man of strictly good
character, but in England many such men
yVpr,s limifpd IN thafr ef,.iss al ,l.. ~
tances in consequence OF the aforesaid
''incum bered" estate, and had to seek by adj
vertisement in public papers the aeouaint
anee OF a lady Of birth aud position with a
large fortune, with the intention of mar
riage and ultimate REDEEM ption of the prop
erty, presenting the charms OF rural pur-
suits. Furthermore, this editor Informed
me that this gentleman of frst-rate county
family had refused seven French ladies.
all Of whom were widows, and two American
spinsters" because their Large fortune'' in
their own right was too small.
note this TO illustrate what advertising
will and does do. l may mention 10 confirm
what ] said in the SIN some few years ago.
that ''the fine old English gentleman of
England Is becoming a rarer bird every
year, and that baronial halls aud broad
acres are no longer power socially or NOR
ally, materially or monetarily. Last week
one of these old inherited estates that every
Englishman, be be tory or radical, was wont
to eovet, sold for el0, 500, though the pre-
vious owner paid ESQ, 900 Tor it,
Another case comes before me this week
An American, well known in New Orleans
and in the Midland counties of England. has
just paid Eli, 500 for an old historical man
sion and park-like acres. the price whereof
four years ago was eco, 900. When a young
and accomplished man OF thirty-fve seeks
paying matrimonial alliance and has an in
numbered estate, the chances are there are
very few rich women able to redeem him and
1t at any price. The squire and his acres are
not marketable articles nowadays.