St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-08-25

in ''trottlng them OUT for the inspec
ton and admiration of possible sons-in
law. The rebuke, wherever merited-
as it no doubt is in some instances!
perfectly just. But when a mother has
done her duty otherwise, reasonable
amount OF managing and manpuvrine
on her part to provide her daughter:
with husbands, is perfectly justifable
She may feel tolerably certain that
with or without her cognizance, some
sort of matchmaking, or, at all events
irritation Is sure to occur; and that be
ing so, it is undoubtedly better thai
such proceeding should be conducted
under her watchful care and direction
than they should be carried on clandes.
timely or under less responsible super.
vision.
10 parents with large family Of
daughters, the successful bestowal OF
them all in matrimony is no light mat.
ter. 1t is matter involving not only
much serious thought, but often also
great trouble and expense. A wit re,
marks that when mans only resources
consist Of numerous family of daugh-
tiers, the best thing he can do is to hus-
band his resources. That is no doubt
very sage advice; but girls are a kind
| of resources which it is sometimes by
no means easy to husband. In order
| to execute that man9uvre, a great
many other resources have generally
| to be called into requisition, and not
the least important of these is a sub
stantial bank account. If his daughters
be his only resources, both he and
they will be placed at a decided disad-
| vantage.
But when paterfamilias has provided
the slnews of war, there, as a rule, his
share in the matchmaking ends. Men
have not sufficient tact to be intrusted
with such delicate tasks. When they
take it upon themselves to interfere in
these matters, they are sure to make
trouble OF one kind OR another. Match
making is essentially the ladies' prov
ince. 1t is, moreover, branch of dip
lomatic service in which few men have
any ambition to distinguish themselves.
AT the best, it is a somewhat invidious
task. A mother and her six marriage
able daughters have been facetiously
described as a, school of design" and
that is really the aspect in which they
are generally regarded. The very ap-
pearance of mamma at the head of such
a battalion is sometimes enough to
scare away the most stout-hearted eligi-
bic single gentleman, whose suspicious
are Immediately aroused, and who,
rightly or wrongly, persists in regard
ing the party as a veritable school of
design. The difficulty is immensely in
creased If the young ladies do not hap
pen to be particularly brilliant or attrac-
tive. 1t is here that papa's financial
resources come into play. But even
when these resources are considerable,
intending suitors are apt to pause when
they think of the process of subdivision
that will have to be undergone. To
her forces so as to bring
about series of successful engage
ments, thus demands, on the part of
the maternal head, no little skill in
as well as in diplomacy.
American mothers have acquired |
some reputation for skill and energy in
connubial management on behalf of |
their daughters. A Partisan newspa-
per some time ago recorded an exceed
ingly clever bit of matchmaking, exc
cuted by an American lady of this order
in brilliant style. Her eldest daughter
had sailed from New York with some
friends for tour of Europe, and after
''doing" the continent, had returned to
The French capital for several months
If rest and pleasureing. Attractive and
clever, she had many suitors, some
more, some less desirable. She could
1ot marry them all, SO she adroitly re-
luced the number to two-the best of
he lot, of course. Then she wrote
home to her mamma, explaining the
exact situation of affairs, adding that
hey were both so handsome, agreea-
JIG, "Cll-COluCCtSu dlu It'll, tiIdt SIG
could not decide between them, and
,losed with the question: What shall
do?" Ten days later, she received a
'ablegram from mamma: II sail to-
morrow; hold both till | come'' The
lext transatlantic steamer brought
drs. Blank with her second daughter,
ust turned eighteen, and fresh from
chool. On her arrival the old lady at
nee took the helm of affairs, and
teered SO deftly through the danger
us waters, that in few weeks she had
cached port with all colors flying. To
rop metaphor, she attended the we'd
ing of her two daughters at the Amer
can chapel on the same morning.
After due examination, she had decided ]
hat neither of the nice fellows should
o out of the family.
We have said that men do not, as a {
ule, figure conspicuously as match /
lakers; nor do they; but the Judgment
nd policy exhibited in this connection
Y knowing old gentleman Of our ac- /
uaintance could hardly be surpassed {
Y the most accomplished tactician of (
timer sex. Brown" said a neighbor t