The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-28

.jcct and introduce him to some other
Glrl.
We used to live near the Atlantic
Music Hall. That meant that nearly
every night Il wedding ceremony Was
close by. and the wedding tunes burst :
ing upon us maliciouS!y threw salt ON
our wounds reminding us that Esther
was growing older and older and that
no prospects We're in sight. And then
the wedding feastS spoke to us OF other
matrhmakcrs work and profit and
pleasure. we felt miserable.
Two months ago, however, things
looked bright | had two sharks on
my list. One was II doctor and the 9TH
CT II wealthy clothing manufacturer.
Tho doctors practice at the time was
50 hOpelesSly meagrc that he was bad
ly in need of Il richly lowered mat"
to helD him out OF his troubles. or
course. he did not tell me as much.
But my people" could never fool me.
knew them better than they knew
themselves. So when told him of
Clara sherman with her three thOuS-
and dollar bank account. | could al
most see in his eyes the rosy pictures
that flashed through his mind. A beau-
tifuliy furnished office, the furniture,
Instruments and all paid for in cash,
spirited horses 1T his door. patients,
servants and IL wife--all this burst upon
his imagination and he could not re-
press II smile He was tickled by the
thought of the revolution her dowry
would bring about in his social stand
ing. And as to Clara, she seemed an
easy proposition. She WAS interesting,
rriined-eXcuse me, my old habit of en-
shortcomings of my candidates would
not leave me. Clara had her peculiari-
ties, 10 bc sure. and her weaknesses,
one OF which was. and. indeed, still Is,
to become the wife of doctor or not
to marry at all knew all this and
the commission seemed as good as in
my pocket. The match. ii is true, would
not have been an ideal one. but then
| should have had to live OH love, air
and poetry if | had looked for ideal
matches only.
But fortunately this time man pro-
poses and God disposes. Clara had a
younger sister, Sophie. Unlike Clara.
she was really beautiful, clever and in
telligent. But Sophie was penniless.
While the older sister had saved every
cent to enable her to marry ii doctor,
the younger had given all her earnings
to her father, whose business had taken
ii downward course of late years,
Since Sophie had consented to intrust
her future into my hands, she always
felt uncomfortable in my presence. I
could see it clearly. She was n superior
girl and I liked her very much, Thus,
when Mr Goldstein applied to me for il
match | Immediately thought of Sophie
sherman, Wealthy himself, he was not
particular about the dowry, so long as
the girl would please him In fact, she
need have no money at all, but she
must be II nice, goOd-lOoking girl,
The doctor and Mr.. Goldstein We're 10
be introduced to the sisters at the Rus
sian ball. | spent that afternoon i'm
careful preparation for the occasion. !
cleaned and pressed my frock coat, my
trousers and my fur-trimmed overcoat
the only MOSCOW relic left me- I
bought white neckte, blackened my
shoes and gave my silk hat "A steamng
TO restore il to the original gloss,
could hardly explain to myself the
painful impatience that tortured me
that day. ! had never thought of ming
ling my private affairs with prayers,
yet that day ! keenly felt the need of