The morning call., 1891-05-31
A MATRIMONIAL CENTER.

It is not generally known that San Fran
cisco is the most matrimonial city Of which we
have any record. Girls are frequently heard
TO say that they have no chance Of marry
ing here; that the young men neglect them,
and that they look forward to the dismal
destiny of being old maids. The facts do
not confirm these gloomy views OF the sit
uation
The average marriage rate in the coun-
tries which collect vital statistics is under s
to 1000 Of the total population. In Great
Britain it is 1853, in France 1876, in
Spain 7.55, in Italy 100, Germany SIS,
in Austria $780, in Australia 100 In
New York City it has stood for some
years at $50, and New Workers are rather
proud of the fact as a high marriage
rate is always an existence Of prosperity.
Now, in San Francisco which according to
Mr.. Porter. contains 800, 600 population. the
number of marriages solemnized last year
was 1921, which would indicated rate of over
II in the thousand. According to this we
have more marriages here, in proportion to
population, than occur in New York, and
very much more than are celebrated in
Great Britain or any country in Europe.
are matrimonally inclined San Francisco
is really an ideal happy hunting ground for
that amiabe portion of the population.
There are reasons for this. some of which
may be explained without danger of cOntrO-
versY. The San Francisco girl, as a rule, is
normally adapted to become a wife and
mother Fewer lean, sickly girls are seen
here than in any Eastern city; orr type of
81 -,
one sees fewer delicately beautiful faces
and esthetic figures here than in New York
OF Boston; but the exquisite charm Of these
refined creatures is always Offset by the fear
that 1t may be accompanied by undue deli
cacy of constitution. Our girls, on the con-
trary, look as if they would never need a
doctor, and could buffet the storms of life
with serenity. Again, the tall woman with
a sCreechy voice, who grows to perfection in
the central valleys of the continent, is un-
known here, except as a member of one Of
Raym0nd's excursion parties. Once in
way one catches the sound of & voice which
is set on a minor key away above the line,
but it is odds that the owner halls from ''the
States" Our girls, as a rule, have soft, low
yoices-"an excellent thing in woman"
Another marked advantage which the girls
Of San Francisco enjoy over their Eastern
sisters is that while they are fairly we'll edu-
Gated and keep tolerably abreast of the
times in theatrical and literary matters, they
are generally the children Of parents who.
in their youth, had to work hard for liv-
ing, ana cannot believe that their daughters
would derogate by following their example.
There are few young ladies here who con-
ceiye that they were born in sucn undOubted
purple that they would demean themselves
By cooking a dinner or sewing on a button.
But they are rare exceptions. The mothers
OF most of the gorgeous creatures who are
Respondent in laceS and diamonds at ball
and opera knew perfectly in their youth
how to brOil a steak or boil potato The
daughters are TO the manner born, in spite
Of their tneTy, and young fellow who re-
allies that life has viciSsitudes feels that, if
adversely befalls, they could do as their
mothers did
If marriages could be classified, it would
probably appear that they are more fire.
Quent, pr0portionately, in what it is usual
though incorrect to call the working class,
than in the class in which the father is the
sole worker, and the other members of the
family idlers. This would in part arise
from an incorrect conception of life among
those who are known as young ladies in
society. They are still perhaps uncOn-
sciously impressed by some relic Of the old
Evolutionary reverence with which the sex
was regarded in the days when its members
were few. They do the pedestal business
perhaps oftener than young men like. 1t is
right and proper that "a young woman should
aspire 10 be divinity at whose shrine men
bow and worship; but men tire Of shrines
after a while, however g0rgeously con-
structed When man offers to take a
woman 10 wife and to divide his life with
her, he tenders to her something which may
not be worth her acceptance, but is certainly
worth her gracious consideration. And
when he leads up to this catastrophe by the
attentions which are in such cases provided,
his civilities are assuredly entitled TO pleas
ant appreciation. Where they are met with
rudeness or ScOrn the gentleman is apt to
take the key of the fields