The Indianapolis journal., 1885-08-02
THE MATRIMONIAL PROBLEM.
An Abundance of MarriageabIe Girls, but
Good Men Are Scarce.

An Abundance of Msrriaseab!c Girls, but
Good Men Are Scarce.
New York Citizen.
1t is recognized by all Of us that, while society
contains any number Of girls well fitted for wife
hood there are very few men suitable for hus
bands. There are plenty of elaborately attired
gaiiantS among US, it is true. The streets. the
theater loboies, and the parlors are full of
naughty young spirits that exhibit the tailor's
handiwOrk excellently well. and are beautiful to
a degree These serve as makeshifts for escorts,
are perfect dancing partners, and make a
brave show at receptions But women want
men. A bright intelligent girl desires a hus
band whom she can respect And those little
chaps have no talent, 10 braius. no future
nothing to commend them further than their
fathers position and their tailors art A thought
full girl hestates long before she ntrusts herself
TO a man whose highest desire is to be consid
cred fast whose language iS llsping, and whose
head is not so we'll educated as his heels Our
young lauies not to blame for the scarcity of
marriages. If we offer them alliances with men
they will get welded soon enough.
But the young fellows of ability, of ambition,
have no time to go into society, and the girls are
given few chances to meet and to marry them
Men with a future are forced to work in the
present. And if. by accident, a bright Young
man finds himself in a gay assembage, he is
presently put out of countenance by crowd OF
inane creatures, who make much bother over
masters of nice assortment Of gossip; they can
hand lady down TO supper with infinite grace.
and are very excellent things in the turning of
music. The clever young fellow is abashed
he is confounded by rivals whom he desrses,
and retires from the society of girls whom he
admires, hut cannot bring elegance to- And
when he does marry, he probably takes to wife
some pupil! some model or some obscure rela-
tive of his land ord who never was in society
at ALL
i
There are many thousands Of them in New
York city alone, who can never be married The
tendency to remain single is growing among
men in all conditions of life, but is more narked
in the upper classes. This would be teplora be
enough if men were in the majority, but they
are in considerable minority. and the majority
of the women increases every year. There are
indeed. various avenues of employment open to
women; yet a great number OF them have no
prospects Of situations, Of husbands, or homes of
their own. Unless We educate our young men
into broader conception of manhood our Girls
are going to be III sorry plight A woman can
not offer herself formally as a candidate for
marriage; but it is an accepted fact that all sen
slble girls are ready to take husbands and
thoughtful people never sncer at people who
want to be married. Marriage is the
true end and aim of properly
constituted womanhood To possess her
separate home TO feel the protection of hus-
band, to know the tender affection of mother
hood are desires instructive to and admirable in
any young woman 1t is no more immodest in a
woman to wish for husband than in man to
want wife: nor is it otherwise than estlmable
in girl to rejoice in marriage, and consider her
proper ambition to he the care, the assistance
and the comfort of her husband.
So let us have less of love in the abstract. and
more of love in the concrete Rhapsody is an ex
cellent thing, but marriage is better And it
were estimabe matter in young lovers to keep
a memory of Artemus Wards experience with
Betsy Jane-a practical young woman who after
enduring the poetic tnttery of her admirer till
patience was exhausted. exclaimed: II won't
listen to your noncents no longer. Jes say strate
out what you're drivin' at. If you mean gettin
hitched, I'm in"