The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-20
FOR FEMININE READERS
A FEW CASUAL OBSERVATIONS ON
THE WAYS OF THE MATCHMAKER.
The sleeve II Now the Most Variable
Article I'm women's Attire-For
the Summer Appetite

home for the summer, meditativeiy
watched the maneuvers OF fat spider
IL sought 10 entice a giddy. olunderlhs
fly into the web stretched from the porch
pillar TO the nearest branch Of the climb
Ing rosebush
What are you thinking OF. Minerva?
inquired her friend, the stout matron, as
she rocked placdly to and fro and worked
buttonholes H. a boys shirt. You seem
TO have something on your mind
The girl withdrew her gaze from the
spider. and laughed
II was puzzling over two things. first
whether II / had been called Minnie in
stead Of Minerva it would have occurred
20 me 10 take a college course and whether
IL my mother. instead OF being the guile
less creature she is had begun when /
was an infant TO cultivate boys who might
develop into eligibles when they-and /
grew 10. or at least 10 keep herself posted
concerning them-whether ] should now at
the age OF twenty-four be fitting myself
for a profession instead Of
Instead OF getting ready to marry one
OF the eligibles you mean? What put those
notions into your head?'
For one thing, a conversation ] heard
last night. in which four mothers OF daugh-
tiers took part. l won't mention their
names. but you know them. l was in the
group. but not of it, they knew 1 had no
information 10 give and so talked over my
head. Their one subject was young men
the qualities OF this one the disposition Of
that one. the prospeots-the money pros
pects-of each and all OF them. The chief
thing those women had in mind was the
financial possibilities of the men they men
IioneG-men not yet old enough, most OF
them, to have done anything for them
selves What one woman didn't know
other did. and they had such def little
ways OF extracting desired information.
Let's see. Mrs. Matchem. one would say,
isn't young William Henry. who visited
the Brown-Joness and was the living
shadow of your Katie at all the holiday
parties-isn't he the of the rich Henry
vi Chicago. Or is he nephew And Mrs
Matcnem purred with qualification that
Katie's winning qualities had been remem-
bered. and said sweetly that William was
the son of the great
They argued that 1t was a pity that
young Bobby Snaftoe was showing such a
disposition 10 SOW wild oats. but consid-
cred that inasmuch as his property was
left 10 him by his father in trust until he
was thirty years old. his wife, IL he mar
ried would fare well enough, and by the
time he was thirty he would probably have
become steady. Then that little Jimmy
Brown-Jones. too. You know that by
rights he ought TO be in a home for the
feeble-minded. but would one of those
women admit it? No. indeed. They said
ne was an odd genius. quite eccentric at
times but so sweet and lovely in DISPOSE
ton. All just because his father has a
bankful of money and they have daughters
10 marry Off
you remember that impossible Mrs
Cresto who lives up in-was It Thirteenth
street? No one would have even anything
to do with her. They said her morals
were not good. and 1 am sure her man
ners were bad, for I've seen her in the
shops and as for iIliteracy-oh. my! But
1t turns out that a lot of money has been
left to her and her lout of a son. and those
women. those dear friends Of yours and
mine. spoke OF her as that original Mrs.
Cristo.' and had been TO call on her. every
one of them
"At first I was so stupid I did not see
what ali this interest in rich young men
meant perhaps because knew the daugh-
tiers of those women were still in school
and | did not think OF matchmaking in
connection with them. But / caught on and
IT made me tired. Excuse slang, but ii
seems to fit somehow. What do you
think you easy-going soul. of mothers who
are laying matrimonial wires for their
girls before they are out in society. Isn't
II cold-blooded and mercenary and without
any excuse? How would you like TO have
your boys angIed for that way?'
Il wouldn't get excited IL l were you,
Minerva The subject isn't worth it this
hot day. No. l don't at all think it's
deadly sin for a mother to be duly watch
full over her daughters matrimonial pros
poets. on the contrary It is perfectly nat
ural. though. II is only the occasional
mother who can accomplish anything by
her forethought and scheming. The young
people are too headstrong and likely to
take their own way in spite Of the we'll
laid plans of their parents The mother in
nuence may have it's effect. however. l
happen 70 know that one OF those school
girls is already engaged to young Billy
Cristo-though 1 don't think the other
ladies you were with have heard IT YET
Her mother invited him TO their summer
home last year. Propinquity works won
ders."
But you surely don't think it's right to
be so mercenary."
We'll. no; l think there are other things
TO ot tpHSlttAtu bcciutS mere money. w nat
surprises me always about these managing
mammas Is their lack OF Judgment The
boy who is going 10 inherit money from
relatives. or mas inherited IL. has an ad-
vantage over other boys in their eyes
which doesn't always exist I'm not as old
Niethuselah myself but I've lived long
enough 10 feel sure that some OF those rich
young fellows you mention will have little
or none OF their money ten years from now.
They did not earn IL. they won't know how
TO take care OF IL. and they have the spend
thrift disposition on the other hand. IL
doesn't need Solomon to point out at least
few members OF the rising generation
who will Re the rich and successful men
OF the community twenty years from now.
Their family history. their habits. the very
look Of their faces predict H. oh i"
1T seems 10 ne you're the one who is
getting excited now" interrupted Minerva.
'Wha: l want 20 know is II you. the
mother OF sons. could look on calmly and
see the designing mother Of girl you
knew would not make him good wife lure
him on"
My boys" said the rnatron with an OBJ
vious disposition 10 eyade. my boys are
too young 10 be considered natrimoniallv
Besides. unless they earn 8, ,bsr,sa,,....