Evening journal., 1891-03-26
THEY WANT TO BE WIVES.
ASTONISHING RESULTS OF A
MATRIMONIAL PERSONAL.

Receives Dozens of Proposais-Adyer-
ttsing Pays.
There are many people In this world
who seem never to be happy except they
are miserable and In trouble This bull
Is fitting prelude to this article, which.
while of necessity in a humorous vein.
cohtaiDs so much that should cause
fathers and mothers to look well to their
children's training, and children to at
tend strictly to their parents admoni-
tions. One or more persons. number
AM sex unknown, thought TO plav a
practical joke upon William P Wright
the oil dealer, who boards at Twentieth
and Market streets In the Ninth ward
They succeeded far beyond their expec
tations, 80 much so that Mr.. Wright
would give anything almost to know
who they are. If they will but let him
know their Identity, they will have no
more debts TO pay In this world aud very
little time to make their Wills. These
jokers, knowing Of the retiring nature of
the one upon whom they were to work
decided to execute q plam freouentlv
followed by bashful people TO ret
acquainted, namely, through the per-
On Sunday morning, the Philadelobia
Item, the great airy sheet, contained among
it's many personals one which purported
20 express the desire OF young man to
become acquainted with young woman
with the object OF matrimony she TO be
prepossessing and all that sort of thing
She was to enclose her photograph,
with some personal description and
quotations from the family tree. 10 W. P.
Wright, northwest corner of Twentieth
and Market streets, Wilmington, Del
The Sunday Item has several readers in
Philadelphia and some OF them read that
little advertisement. Yea, some even re
sponded to II immediately
The letter carrier on that district
wondered If all of Mr. Wright's friends
were about to get married, 80 great was
the number OF square envelopes ad
dressed to him. The first batch of replies
was received In Mondays early mail,
and they have been coming ever since
UP to last night thirty women were
heard from. Each one enclosed some
sort OF description and few words OF
communication of herself. but only one
enclosed her photograph. None Of the
rest had any
And Mr. Wright The first letter
startled MIN. The second made him
question whether he had gone crazy 1t
then occurred to him that the insanity
was elsewhere. The succeeding letters
surprised and angered him It was then
that he concluded that practical iokers
were back of It,
The letters were from women ranging
In age (so stRted) from IL to 28. and
doubtless higher, who thought that they
would like TO accept the terms Of the
personal Wonder how many of them
would gladly have back the foolish let
ters they have written. A few of the
letters were sincere in tone, most of
them appeared sincere, but we're not. and
the remainder were boldly frank. Several
I them arranged for corner meetings
and personal interviews, others wanted
Mr.. Wrighr's photograph first The
letters we're postmarked Ia Camden.
Lancaster, Chester, Smyrna. Pho Xix
Vile and Philadelphia.
The texts Of a few Of them will serve
as samples Of their general contents
Here Is one who hopes for mutual
friendship, and encloses photograph Of
a pretty face;
4 have just saw an advertisement In
the Sunday lem Of gentleman wishing
to correspond with lady of good repu-
tation. | will write these few lines
hoping they will please your fancy, and
II we become acquainted thas our friend
ship may be mutual, The enclosed photo
Is the best | have at present.
One young woman who spells badly
and apologies for II, confesses that the
excited her curiosity-she was .
woman-and asserts that replying to
such things was something she never
done" before. Conc rning her reputation
she says IL will be satisfactory, although
not LADY Of great means; as the poem
say self praise goes little ways"
A Camden girl after wishing to CORES
pond with him because he Is perfect
gentleman says;
Il am young lady "a years Of age
brown hair and light complexion 5 feet
q inches In hight, weigh l25 pounds with
good reputation Therefor | hope this
will meet with your approval, as am
not triaing in this matter and do not
care to correspond with anyone that is
trillng in any way at ell, as I try to be
prompt In all say aud you will always
hnd me to be truthful, straight and
honest girl
For bit Of originality the following
letter is at the top. 1t expresses some
doubts asks some questions and makes
assertions The writer Of It might have
been more original by having tbs reply
delivered to her father but 10 guard
against this she uses a post Office box ad-
dress She talks thus.
Among the many spinsters who viii
no doubt answer the notice you have had
inserted Ia the Item. l, like plRtt, say me
too. Now. are you seriously matrimO
nially inclined gentleman, or are yOn
representing or connected with mar
riage bureauf Please answer with few
more particulars of yourself and | will
return to you BY mail the picture of
young woman. who has more than the
average amount of common-sanse If not
good looks) than the ordinary American
girl. ! am of English family not as
You see by this letter, too highly edu-
Gated, but lady iu- behavior
Another who is plain both In appear
ance and manner, nsks; 'fDo you not
think it Is a strange way TO become &C
qusinted with lady, and do you think
YOU could trust one whose acquaintance
ship you formedp
strong point that
One says that she is 10 years old, Of
protestant faith and has not been In
photographs fol- about two years. An
other, her fathers housekeeper, will not
send her photograph until she finds out
whether her age, 2S. is satisfactory. A
Philadelphia maiden, poor but honest,
who is all alone on this world wants
true gentleman TO correspond with as her
object is also mstrimony. This Is her
first offepse and she hopes the letter will
be destroyed.
Then there is a communication from a