Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-12
A CASTLE GARDEN WIFE.
SOME SPECIMENS OF THOSE WHO
HAVE APPLIED FOR HER.

A Second Hand Man Who Wanted a New
Wife and Two Dollars for One-An Ap-
pHcant Who Let His Money Do His Talk
inf-Happy Marriages and Some Hisfjss.
The Rockland county farmer who recently
apphed TO superintendent Simpson at Castle
Garoen for wife was very fair specimen
OF hi ndreds of Others who make similar ap-
plica lions in the course of a year The fact
that he wanted to marry some woman who
was comfortably situated financially makes
his case an ordinary one. In other respects
he W As more than usually particular
The applicant had no right to expect am
thing out of the ordinary run of women, for
he was if anything, less prepossessing than
the ordinary run of mankind He said he
was Is years of age, but he looked ten years
Older at least. He was cut on the angular
plan, and everything about him, including
Clothes manner, accent and expression, was
distinctly rural. He wanted a young woman,
stout and strong enough to do hard work.
and skilled enough in housekeeping to cook
first rate. She must have black hair and
eyes, pleasant manner, and, more import
ant than all, not less than So 900 in cold cash
The applicant modestly confessed to having
no Objection to marrying woman who had
more money, but a woman with less-neverl
lie said he had been a widower seven years
and that his farm was worth 81 900. He did
not see anything unreasonable in a second
hand man like himself, who was worth only
$1,000, distinctly refusing to marry any wo-
man who was not brand new and who was
worth less than twice his value.
WANTED A KILKENNY GIRL
There should be no difficulty in pleasing
any oregner, for the Garden is frequently
filled to overflowing with women represent
ing all nationalities. Many of the women
who come from the steerage of big steam
ship nto the bad smelling, stuffy rotunda o.
the Garden are pretty, but they are seldom
attractive. long journey in the steerage
OF u steamship would would mar the attrac-
tions OF the prettiest women, and then they
frequently appear awkward. The strange
ness )f the place, the way they are bustled
about by the busy officials, and the fact of be-
ing IL strange city thousands of miles from,
their homes, frightens them. Some of the men
who call here for wives are worthy of good
ones, and these always receive the ready heir
of the officials. A few weeks ago little old
fashioned lrishman with the richest kind of q
brog1e called on Superintendent Simpson
and said:
Il want wife"
''ls she hereln he was asked
Faith If she was wouldn't | take her
awayr he said. Il want to find one tc
marry; can We help megn
who would marry little old man like
youl asked Mr. Simpson.
PLENTY of them," replied the little man
confidently, ''if they saw this.n
He pulled out of his pocket bank book
which showed deposits amounting to $1,000
'Ihat'll catch any of them" he said land
all ] want you to do is to pick out a nice
pleasant hammered girl, not more than &c
years old, and from Kilkenny if you can"
BOW old are you!"
''Niver moind that; it's this'll talk whin Va
foind her"
Ths little man slapped his bank book and
laughed. He said he was boss carman who
had been too busy all his life to find a wife
for himself. He wanted somebody else to dc
it for him, and when the selection was made
he promised TO come around and marry her
olfhand
APPLICATIONS BY MAIL.
The men employed in the Garden realiz,
what IA delicate thing it is To find wife for q
man. In the language of one of them, suct
an arrangement is apt to be misfit a mar
worthy of suspicion and-is seldom entitled tC
one
A man with a stiff black beard, deep sci
blacl eyes, and an appearance indicating
married antipathy to soap and water, called
ut the Garden III the early part of last fall
he had a strong Italian accent He wanted al
ltalEtn girl not more than II years old He
preferred one without friends and without
know ledge of any language but her own
What did he want her forl For wife. OF
cour9e he was asked what his business was
The question angered him. He thought thai
was nobody's business but his own He wa!
cooly dismissed, and he went away in a great
passion. Nobody doubted but what he wanted
CIR for some evil or degrading work.
When man applies to the officials at the
Garden for n wife his character and hi.
means for supporting her are carefully in
qulred into If he proves to be fit person hs
gets all the help possible, and there have beer
many happy marriages brought about in THU
way
Sometimes man from some thinly settled
western part of the country applies for wife
by lie ter. Usually these written applications
have charming frankness about them
Near all the writers are farmers or small
trade emen, who want wife with money
enough to help them improve their business.
In ad iition to this they want her to be both
strong and young, SO she can work, and help
them in this way A few Of them are very
fastid ious and devote pages to describing just
the k nd of a woman they want. The most
particular of them entirely forget to describe
themselves, and this gives rise to a suspicion
that their appearance won't stand it. Once
in while a man sends his portrait This il
honest, but it is disastrous, and one glance at
the p cture is sufficient explanation why the
man has difficulty in finding somebody to
marry him.-New York Sun