The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26
CUPIDS OF THE GHETTO.
THB sHlTCHENs AND THE MATCHES
THEY BRING ABOUT.
Csnaftiens mat Make Theus Useful Auens the
Poer Hebrews or the East SIDE - Love
Matches Net Apr TO Ne 20 Happy 90 Arranged
nHnrrisres. They any-Rise OF the shatchsn.

Marriages. They say-Rise or the shatchen.
Matchmakors. marriage brokers, matrimo-
NAL agents-call them what you please, but II
you care to SEQ the genuine article, you Will
have TO visit the jewish quarter, where they
are known as shatchcns. There they are as
thick as huckleberrics.
Most of them find matchmaking an inado-
quato means Of livelihood. and seek to piece 1t
out by some occupation, such rs teaching He
brew, or writing letters for tho illlterate, or off
ciating In some poor synagogue, or following
all those voCGtions at once. Thoro are, how
ever, several professional shatchens who give
all their time TO the business, and are said to
have made money in 1t. A little old fellow. his
high hat tilted back, his spectaclos resting on
his forehead, and his side locks dangling az,
snuffbox in hand. he was busily shouldering
his way through the Hester Street Market, was
pointed out as one Of the acknowledged masters
of the art. He seemed in a great hurry, yet
when accosted and asked into the nearest tea
house for a chat concerning the flowers and
thorns of his calling, he readily accepted the
invitation.
Whether no happened to BIO at leisure just
then and tho prcoccupied air was on him solely
because 1t 10 considered the most appropriate air
for a shatchen to wear, or whether he hoped TO
make a client Of his interviewer, he let his tea
get cold before he interrupted his verbal tor
rcnt to take hs first sip. Tho tea, by the way,
was served In tumblers, with o slice OF lemon
In each tumbler. and tho old matchmaker do.
posted his sugar, for which he first offered u
whispered benediction, not In his tea, us the
other customers present did, but In his mouth.
DO you see thisf' he said, turning tho leaves
Of a well-worn, dos's-cnred notebook. Hero
arc tho names Of my young fellows and this is
my roll Of would.bo brides. or course, there
are young mon and young men. A store
keeper, for instance, or a workingman with a
savings bank account and an eye to business,
would scorn to consider a match without a do
cent marriage portion. And don't you think
he is right I do. Well, then. on the other
hand, take a girl who can read and write and
comes from a respectable family and is not
bad looking into the bargain. Could you ex.
poet her to throw herself away upon an ignor-
ant rowdy or q poor devil Of a tailorf Why
should shot So, you see, one must know which
Is which and keep ones stock properly sorted"
The deeper he penetrated into tho intricacios
Of his profession, the moro intense waxed his
ecstasy, the brighter grew the fire In his dark
eye, the more violent his gesticulations, and
| the more vehement the rush of eloqucncc which
seemed to be leaping over his beard like a cat
aract over q dam. Yet while q stenographlc
race was out of the question, the gist of his ex.
position can be stated.
10 DeSln WIFI. tne InterVentlOn OF the matCh-
maker is In many instances sought as a mere
matter Of form. The more old-fashioned FAM
lilies of the Ghetto deem it q breach of decorum
for a young mau to plead his own matrimonial
cause. In the great majority Of cases. how
ever, the shatchen 10 plainly called upon to search
his roll book or tho world at large for the appli-
cant's predestinated one. Yet he would be q
very poor snatchen, indeed. who would walt for
business to come his way. A wideawnke mem.
name at an. will keep an eye on every family
with a marriageable daughter or boarder with
Wners they are sure to be rejected d than Sn' risk
missing an opportunity. Should his services
be accepted. and should his representation to
trained shatchen. succeed in talking away every
that they were, after all, born into the world for
the sole and exclusive purpose Of sweetening
cations OF tho shatchen arc somewhat similar
to those OF the novelist Q prolific imagination,
expression being the main requisites of the art
OF each.
The more Intelligent inhabitants of tho
Ghetto are cruel enough TO keep themselves out
side the pale of the shatchen's operations. They
prefer to settle their. matrimonial problems
ern aentiles. A Whispering tree at Tompkins
square or a friendly moon smiling down upon
only shatchen a young man and . young woman
need In order to return to their respective
lodgings nushed win the fresh impression OF a
first kiss, and thrilled with the echo OF a mu-
have been invented by meddllns and misohiev.
GUS Nature to interfere, with the business Of the
human shatchen. the old man treated with su.
preme contempt.
the good Of those modern ungodly love mar
riaaEes. anpyhowi II q couple first fall in love
spends itself before the Wedding. and tho
honeymoon is scarcely, over before they begin
nfhpr hand ~ n fRllnW md IA pirl afart he tna -
rying in the good old Jewish way, the chances
are that they will follow it Up by becoming
were our fathers. who never set eyes on our
mothers until the wedding ceremony was over.
What business has q lad to love a lass who
Is q perfect stranger to hint II a couple marry
BY reason Of their love. 1t means that they take
therefore nothing to do with their alliance. II,
however; one leaves the matter to the Holy One
his foreordained one by a shatchen. the union
l. hroS SGTS to enjoy divine protection. / have
thank heaven, mono OF my clients has been a
hero in a divorce case" and the old ~shatchen
took snuff with the air Of one defying the whole
world to ~disprove bis assertion.
Bad, very badl" he CALCULATED with an ener.
ge'ic gesture or despair, In answer to a question
the verse in Isaiah: And seven women will
seize upon one mani There Is where the
several girls to one young chap in the Jewish
neiehborhood. The result is that the men give
u y hiiS anu III tNtT so nHTu 10 please.
Yes, sir, | have u big stock of girls on hand OF
whom ii Is almost impossible TO dispose. Some.
times you work on Il case for weeks, and when
everything is ready for an engagement party,
the fellow suddenly backs out and you are left
with nothing but a wound In your heart for
your pains"
The shatchen's commission Is paid imme,
diately after tho engagement. 1t Is often de-
terinlned by the amount of the dowry, 10 per
cent. being the usual rate charged. but In many
eases the fee Is fixed Independently. 1t some.
times happens that a betrothed couple arc I'M
able or unwilling TO par the stipulated fee, or
there may DO some dispute as TO tho amount
due. To antagoni2e a shatchen may involve
some danger, however. for u skilfnl match,
maker Id apt to prove n successful match
breaker also, and there are cases on record
where such a gentleman has effected tho ire
mediable enhancement of a predestinated cou-
pie BY tho force Of the very eloquence with
which he brought about their betrothal.
Another Jewish matchmaker who was asked
for Information about his business proved to
be n representative of an entirely different
type; He IL still young himself. dresses neatly,
Is philo,ophically inclined, and although He.
brew IL tho only language he has so far learned
to read and write. he ~contemplates studying
medicine.
THE idea of selecting a bride by tho hired aid
or a man who makes this SOFT of thing his bust.
ness seems amusing. doesn't iti' he began, with
n smile. yet IL you give the mntter soma