St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-05
PoRTIEREs AND POPPING.

Curtained Doorways as Obstacles
in the Way of MatrimOny.
A few evenings ago, says writer in
the Buffalo Courier. [ remarked to my
friend Dareal:. Joseph, why haven't
you married." The question seemed
abrupt, admit. but the moment was
propitious. As we sat i'll the cosiest cor
ner of the club room, testing new and
recompensing brand of cigars, we talked
while at random, and finally we, too,
drifted to subject of marriage in Buff
falo. We spoke of the apparent reluct-
ance of cerain young men 10 Go any
thing but dawdle about the objects of
their alteration, and when Joseph SAID,
''DO not blame them, perhaps it is not
their fault" put to him the startling
custom, Joseph, why don't you marryY
Joseph took several long pulls at his
cigar before replying. but finally said,
his eyes fixed on the ascending smoke:
s'If YOU wish to know what has kept me
from matrmony | will tell you. 1t is the
portiere." | started.
Joseph went on: SIN other words, it
is because parlorS have no doors, because
our modern houses are one vast Whisper
ing gallery, in which the slightest sound
is heard from one end to another. 1t is
years since | have felt sure that | was
absolutely alone with girl an enl IRON
ment necessary for sentimental demon
STATIONS. But to particularize. 1t is
not long since | became unusually i'll
tereSted in young woman of my ac-
qualntance. Perhaps was in love with
her. ! know that might have become so.
L paid her rather marked attention for
nearly year, but in my numerous visit
to her house there was never an oppor-
tunity for anything but the most formal
conversation. Usually her father sat
hearing if not in view of us. No chance
to shut door. At the parlor door
portieres; at the library door portieres;
at the dlnlng-roOm door portiereS: and
never an opportunity for that sense of
private tete-a-tete which gives man
inspiration for sentimental deeds.
"Now, it is my idea that the time
when mutual love is first acknowledged
should be supreme moment in life,
one to be made the most OF, and not to
be thrown away by any such inSensate
proceeding as proposal by letter, or
even to be riSked at unpropitl0uS sea-
SONS, when interruption is probable or
possible Therefore | did not tell my
love with papa reading his paper III the
adjoining room, or with the servant
fumbling at the sideboard in the dim
ing-room, with only a thickness of cur
tain between her and us. did not tell
my love while all the doors were wide
open and the sister active in the upper
halls, and Icould hear the brother in his
room overhead dressing to go out. No.
| waited for some moment of assured
privacy. 1t never came.
There was long silence. "Well?"
said, at last. ''That is all. Last sum-
mer the young lady made visit to a
provincial town, where she could shut
the parlor door. While there she be-
came engaged, and was married last au-
tumn."
.'And that is courtship as she Is con-
Quoted in Buffalo, sighed. THAT is
the state of things in nine houses out
of ten where / pay social visits" said
Joseph Dareal. And as [ recalled the
homes of our weddable, but unwedded
maids,I concluded that Joseph was not
wrong, and that what is most needed by
our young men i'll not courage, but "a
chance"