The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-30
WIVES FOR GOAL MINERS
Rosy-Cheeked Girls Brought From Europe
and Sold for $50 Apiece.

more OF the world than extends beyond
the shadow Of the church sp1re But
dreams OF the land Of gold are tempting
A photograph of the husband-tIect. If he
is ordinarily good lCclllng-and he usual
~ is-Will clinch the matter So one day
she sets forth, knowing little more OF
tho bridegroom awaiting her than the
marriage broker ana the photograp oh
have told, but with his name and ad-
dress or slip Of paper carefully pinned
IN the bosom Of her gown
The slip of paper and the photograph
are often consulted, you may be sure.
IN the course of the miserable VOYAGE
IN tho Storage, and very often, no doubt.
the Drlde-to-be wishes herself at home
again but they never back out. so the
agents say, and at last there comes the
day when the immigrant train stops at
ConnellsVille or McKeCsport or Other! OF
Inc distributing points in the coal region
ana the plump young woman from home
is being welcomed by a swarthy country
man, the matrimonial agent hoverfnn,
around like an up-tO-date very matter
or fact Cupid. Lodgings are found for
the bride and then the details Of thu
wedding are settled at leisure.
Just at first the brides are apt to be a
trlhe shy in tho presence Of their new
lovers But that soon wears off. Once
the aIl-lmportant matter Of Il troussear1
ceremony. 1t Is a picturesque affair. the
wedding with all the SIav-Fiungarian fla
Vorlng 1t takes place, of course. in tha
little Catholic chapel of the Tcuusvlva1ia
settlement and makes 4 festival in the
community for nearly week The bride
looks very pretty, dressed in white with
Whlte veil and wreath of iiou ers over
her eIaporately dressed hair There are
many bridesmaids and groomsmen IS. ac-
cessories, and after the wedding there is
glorious celebration
sometimes 1t lasts three or four DAVIS
sometimes whole week After ths
church ceremony bride, bridegroom AMI
guests march to the new home of the
couple or to some hall hired for the &C.
Casloh' and there feast Is spread.
1here are eatables with names unspeU-
able and unprOnOunceable, but good to
the taste and plenty Of them, with beer
ana polinky, homemade punch. tina
ingredients of which are alcohol, rnoIas-
ses ana Water-sometimes IL the bride
groom Is rich and generous. red vino
besides these-to wash the oo+atIa,
down.
Every male guest has to dance with
the bride The dance Is a delrious wbirI
TO the enhancing strains of an ac-
Gordon, and It costs 81. The monev
must be silver, ana 1t is deposited on a
plate with all the force the PLAYER can
use. II he breaks the plate he gets
another chance for nothing and the
bridegroom has to set 'em up for the
entire company. There are other pleas
ures with fees attached and the cele-
bration is so arranged that It nets tho
couple anywhere from $50 to $500 to
start housekeeping with. Then to house
Keeping they go, and the matrimonial
agent looks about him for another
Benedict
There is no swindle about the coal
country matrimonial agency. Every
man gets his moneys worth, and to al
appearances men and maIdens seem .per-
fectly satisfied with the system and glad
to recommend it. The agents say that
there are no divorces. They pledge
themselves to send out only good girls
Cases Of desertion are few and the bar
gain to take each other for better or
for worse seems in most cases to resu
for the better. In the generations 10
come some Of the descendants Of the~e
marriages may not care to have It
known how their maternal ancestors
reached this country. but in the coal
country now these matches are quite
the proper thing. Dozens are made
every week throughout the state. and
$50 brides are quite respectable inzti-
tuition.