Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-05
MARRYING MONEY.
xAYIoS MAINLAND or MATRIMONIAL
FORTUNE
A Charge Of which Many are Guilty. but
Few win Acknowledgements Plain
Facts FOR Fortune Hunters TO
Ponder over
For tho Dispa,cn--copyrIrhied, 1881

For the Dispatcn--Copyriehte 1881
Some things which are done by repu-
table people are acknowledged by no
body.
When Thackeray, with his characte-
ristic violation of conventional expedi-
ency, made Henry Esmond say. with
naire seriousness, Of Lady Castleton,
"She had been listening at the door,
howl OF reprobation arose from critics OF
both sexes. professional and amateur.
He had lowered the object OF his adora-
ton below the average OF common
chanbermaid or so il was declared.
When Mrs. CandOr AYERS unblushiugly,
"My eve caught sentence IN
the open letter that aroused my
curiosity, and ! read the whole OF
st." her bosom friend, although delec-
tated by the scandal revealed by the act,
must look shocked and murmur depro-
catingly, or suffer in her own estimation.
When Amelia cannot refrain from
whispering 20 Resale the secret contidcd
b. her undcr.a solemn promise OF secrecy
by Eugcnia, She defends the betrayal to
her conscience by saying TWAS told
me In strictest confidence, but You know,
dear, don't consider That | violate my
pledge by limiting 1t to you, from whom
hide nothing.
The qucerpart of the lahoriously-acted
farce is that the only person deceived is
the sinner herself Lady Castleton's
eavcsdropping did no.burden her sweet,
white soul. Mrs. CandOr says boldly:
Anybody else would have done the
same in the same circumstances. II she
be shrcwd she adds "The only differ
oncc between people with characters and
without is in the amount they confess.
Amelia does not avoid betrayed Eugenia's
ewes at their next meeting, says her
prayers with heart as single and voice
as deyout asi Resale were not privately
coIvicting her of perjury.
So-whoever did marry for money ?
The thing is 50 odious, the treachery,
cheat slcrllcge OabOmiEaHlc, that no
man or woman who cares for reputation,
or has oven a nominal regard for social
dcccnc.cs. will admit the charge at the
tribunal Of seli-consciousness. The title
OF fortune. hunter" is as libeilOus as
that of coward, and he who deserves
il exerls ingenuity and Clozes over cir
cums,autial evidence in interpretive re-
fleet on t. clear ms soul OF the stigma
The heiross of his selection has really
no present fortune, as the daughter OF a
rich father may inherit nothing in the
long run. Or if she hold her wealth in
her own right, she would be a prize were
she pennilcss.
In that unlucky event he would have
controlled his manly affections, as the
whole world knows and says sncerlngly
behind his back, however he may hood
wink himself The right OF a man 10
fail IN love with a rich Cirl or the child
Of "a wealthy house Is as patent as hing
Cophetua's 10 WOO the beggar-mald.
Cupid's freaks may as well take one turn
n another. In the teeth Of the doughty
assertion the world continues TO shug
significant shoulders.
10 shrug aad sheer and snarl and vet
become. with parents and friends, acces-
s0ry % the unloly commerce.
"Dmua wed for silers sake. 'Iwad
he unco' sinful. We ken, ~ said a pious
Scotch father 70 ms SOD. q" But see to ut
that Ye g1c ,chcrc sitter -"
We may feel a twiuge Of regret, but
We have ceased 10 lee shocked when We
hear the marriage Of two ardent young
people spoken of q, "a genuine, old
fashioned l0ye-match, such as one sell
dom hears of i'm this day Nor are We
righteously indignant at the compassion
ate smile that accompanies the implied
slur.
one direct question will prove the
truth o. the assertion. What do we
mean when we say that q girl has mar
riei well ? Given n tolerably suitable
age, fair character, health, md DISPOSE
ton. the commondation has hut one
acknowledgement Interpretation, as any
candid reader viii admit.
] heard on eminent theolocian use the
words tho other day. in answer 10 con-
rratnntions ON his daughters marriage:
"Sbe has. iulcci. married W1Io,f-
csHfhl' p" he suhioinod aside to an init
mate friend. II could ask nothing bet
ter for her, thank G0D 80
MecGno the -on-in-aw subsequently,
the friend saw an uneducated man Of
mean stahuc, icnonle visaGe, hoorish
deportmcut and less than mediocre in
tcllect But be has inherited the mil
lions of 70 sef-made father, and cunning
enough 80 turn them over 70 advantage.
Another bridegroom WAS so TepulsIye
In aspect that ono reyOlt,d at the con
trast with his far. majestic bride. lie
wore "a wiz. and his senile grin would
have been Jess disagrtcaoIe had he en-
plovcd dental skill also; he was squat IN
fgllre bis srantv beard was q CrlZlled
rel. his face notified and freckled INTO
the complexion OF a eooseherry roley-
policy. and he was thirty years his wlte's
s.ul r.
1--WE feel very happy about Our dar-
linz. said the tender mother, with glis-
temng eyes.
"She has chosen more judiciously
than do most girls of her age.
The father, as well pleased. expressed
his satisfaction in different sort.
"Not much 70 look at, he admitted
10 a cronv. "but hc has at least $4,000
Tor every freckc.
We ali say, and we all mean one thing
bv such comments, and that's to swell the
the applause due him-or her-who does
good unto hm-or herself The salts
faction Of parents has a basis of natural
and praiseworihy regard for their child s
well-being. If they arc poor and She
has had a hard hrnglnR-up, thcN cONet
ease and smoother pathway for her. In
the maternal heart there is a fierce
claim on these "a her daughters right
in lie, her lawful share OF the sun
shine and ease and prosperity which
are chief among the worlds good
things. If she has been brought up in
aalucnce. there arises an cutlery from
home and society against the cruelty Of
altering her circumstances, the selfish
ness OF him who would drag her down to
the level of the working classes. The
inconsideratc swain, who, tor loves sake,
has proposed the wrong, finds himself III
the position OF Iraddles when, after
Jacobs seven years OF waiting. be OF
fercd the humble home wrung from Fate S
tight list to the dearest girl in the
world"