The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-11
CUPID IN
d Matrimonial Agency Conducting Matches
Arranged on Business Principles.

81
n Matrimonial Agency Conducting Matches
Arranged on Business Principles.
New York Mail and Express.
Love matches are made in heaven, saith the
h,rpaeher. hut here in New York, in an uptown
street the golden chains are riveted in an ordi-
nary. business-li like manner. through the lnstru-
mentality of a Matrimonial Alliance Agency,
conducted by a lady.
.Am / addressing Mrs. --T asked a reporter
of a good-looking and handsomely dressed young
lady. who opened the parlor door.
M she replied, 'but / am her niece, and
U understand the business thoroughly
The parlor was large and nicely-furnished.
Several sofas and divans were arranged about
fhe room, aud there was a table with two books
on it, the sybilline leaves of which no doubt
contained the fate of a score or so of bachelors
Rnd maidens. A lady In deep mourning, evil
IDENTIFY enjoying the mellow prime of over forty
Autumns, retired to another room
'She is one of our customers, " said the young
lady. Now, sir, what can | do for your
Tell me all about the business you conduct,
hand what your success is thus fart"
We'll, in the first place we do a legitimate bus
4ness, and have nothing to keep from the public.
q say we, but of course / mean my aunt. We
came from London last March, where we did q
good legitimate business for a time. The COM
petition there though was so great that we
thought we would try our fortunes In the new
world. Five weeks ago our books were opened
and now we have on them the names of over zoo
eligible ladies and gentlemen. We have ar
ranged five splendid marriages to come Off very
shortly. One of the ladies is a wealty New
Jersey widow, who met her future husband In
this parlor for the first time. OF one of the
other couples the gentleman is fifty-six years old
and the bride is a handsome blonde of twenty
eight ummers All that we do in bringing
about these alliances is in perfect good faith, and
we make the pledge of a return of equally good
Faith on the part Of the ladies and gentlemen
with whom we deal. This stipulation is made
before We enter into any negotiation."
"fhis being satisfactorily arranged, we re-
auire a minute description of the personal APP
pearance of the applicant, which is entered In
the book. Age, health, any special traits of
character, idiosyncrasies, if any, weight, indeed,
"a complete pen-portrait. mental and physical,
with the correct addresses. The lady or gentle
man is then asked her or his preferences or at
~inities, whether blonde or brunette, buxom or
tall and slender, of what age and of what means,
ali of which are carefully written in the remark
column opposite their names. A matriculation
fee of So is required. simply to meet contingent
expenses of conducting the correspondence. ar
ranging meetings, etc. Then the references are
carefully investigated, under cloak, to subStantl-
ate their truth. If they are all right, and made
In good faith, we try TO select from the male
side of the ledger a gentleman who seems to
answer the requirements desired by the lady
customer. Or, take the female side of the ledger
and select a lady that comes as near the descrlp-
tion given by a gentleman of the bride he desires
as the books will make it An interview is then
arranged. The parties meet in this parlor and
ARE introduced under assumed names. This Is
done to permit the parties to withdraw without
embarrassment if they are not pleased with each
Othor. This is fully understood by them before
they commence their courtship. Should a mu-
Aual reciprocation of affection arise they are then
expected to disclose their true names and cir
cumstances in life. Many a happy union we
have arrnged in this manner"
But So does not pay for all this trouble,
hoes it9"
'Oh, by no means. No fee is exacted. We
leave the settlement to the generosity and good
Judgment of the parties. We rarely ever miss
getting a liberal compensation when the wedding
comes off. We have three miilionaires on our
books and another gentleman worth half a mill
Aon. A young man, well known about town, of
good family, promises a fee of 81, 900 if ne gets a
wife through our agency to suit him. He is pc
culiar and wants a wife with certain qualities,
which heretofore he has failed to find in his circle
of society. We will find him a wife, / am sure,
because our business is rapidly increasing each
day. Jersey City females patronize us extern
Sively. Occasionally Philadelphia and Boston
send in female applications. New York, of
course, leads them all. OF the gentlemen Gus
homers, bachelors are more numerous, though
they are generally of the the bald-headed variety.
The ladies9 Well, they vary from shy young
maldens of eighteen summers to ladies Of a ma
ture age. Widows lead off with the list on the
5adies' side, like bachelors on the gentle
mems"
''What reasons do applicants generally give for
applying to you!"
Their reasons are varied and many. Some
say that they have been out of town a long time
and lost all connection with their old acquaint-
ances; others are engaged in business SO as to
preclude their attendance at social gatherings in
which the germs of matches are generally found,
and to the latter class the majority of journal
lists belong. Some, again, are naturally too BASH
full to approach a lady in society with matri-
hnonial intentions. A few dudes are trying it on,
Just for the novelty of the thing, don't you
Know but we don't know them long. The bach
elors mean strict business, to a man"
'But the popular prejudice against matrimo-
Jnial institutions is strongg"
1T is dying out rapidly. Marriage is marriage;
and what difference does it make how, when or
where parties meet, so their future lives prove
HAPPY from the RESULT The only difference
with courtship here is that it is not expensive at
ali; both parties understand from the first why
they have met, and operas. theaters, ice cream,
land sieigh-rides-aH those adjuncts necessary to
q f~irstelass Irritation or loye-making-are com
pletely made away with. That fact is a consola-
Aion to young men with moderate incomes"
AS tho pretty and talkative niece of the propri-
getor OF the Matrimonial Alliance finished the
above narrative she remarked: II am not mar
Gied, but pray don't think I am down on the
Book for a husband"
The Japanese Minister.
Washington Letter.