The Dickinson press., 1890-05-10
PoR7lEREs AND POPPING.
Curtained noorways Are Serious Obstacles
in the Way Of MatrLmOny.

In the Way of M~atrimony.
A few evenings ago l saidt to my friend
Dareal: "Joseph, why haven't you mar
ried!' The question seemed abrupt, 1
admit, but the moment was most propi-
tious. AS we sat in the contest corner of
the club room testing a new and recon-
pensing brand of cigars we talked awhile
at random, and finally we, too, drifted to
the subject of marriage in Buffalo. We
spoke of the apparent reluctance of Ger.
tain young men to do anything but
dawdlc about the objects of their adora-
ton, and when Joseph said, 'Do not
blame them, perhaps it is not their fault"
put to him the startling question,
'Joscph, why don't you marry?' Joseph
took several long pulls at his cigar before
replying, but finally said, his eyes fixed
on the ascending smoke: eff you wish to
know what has kept me from matrimony
1willtell you. 1t isthe portierc." l stared.
Joseph went on: I'm other words, it is
because parlors have no doors-because
our modern houses are II vast whisper
ing gallery in which tho slightest sound
is heard from II end to another. 1t is
years since l have felt sure that l was
absolutely alone with a girl-an environ
ment necessary for sentimental demon
STATIONS. But to ~particularizc. 1t is not
long since l became unusually interested
i'll a young woman of my acquaintance.
Perhaps l was in love with her. If not, /
know that l might have become SO. l
paid her rather marked attention for
nearly a year, but in my numerous visits
to her house there was never an oppor.
tunity for anything but the most formal
conversation. Usually her father sat in
the library across the hall in full hearing
If not i'll view-ofu lis. No chance to shut
a door. At the parlor door-portieres;
at the library door-portieres; at the
dining room door-portieres; and never
an opportunity for that sense of private
tcte-a-tete which gives a man inspiration
for sentimental deeds.
"Now, it is my idea that the time when
mutual love is first acknowledged should
be a supreme monen i'll life-onc to be
made the most of, and not to he thrown
away by any such insensate proceeding
as a proposal by letter, Or even to be
risked at %unpropitious seasons. when in
terruption is probable or possible. There.
fore, did not tell my love with papa
reading his paper in the adjoining room,
or with the servant fumbling at the side
board i'll the dining room, with only q
thickness of curtain between her and us.
l did not tell my love while all the doors
were wide open and the sisters were act
i've in the upper halls, and 1 could hear
the brother in his room overhead dress
ing to go out. No; I waited for some
moment of assured privacy. 1t neve
came"
There was a long silence. "Well?" l
said at last. "That is all. Last summer
the young woman in question made a
visit to a provincial town, where she
could shut the parlor door. While there
she became engaged and was married
last autumn"
"And that is courtsLip as she is con-
Quoted in Buffalo," 1 sighed. "Tlat is
the state of things in nine houses out of
ten where l pay social visits" said Joseph
Dareal. And as l recalled the homes of
u wedable but unwedded maids l con-
Guided that Joseph was o wrong, and
that what is most needed by our young
men is not courage, but ga chance
Buffalo Courier.