The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-07


-
Special to The Globe.
NEW YORK, Sept. 6.-The PROPOSE
ton that women should be accorded
the right of proposing marriage has
met with much opposition in some
! quarters and yet indirectly women to-
! day are taking a great deal Of the in
itiative in this direction.
Few people are aware of the vast
ramifications of the matrimonial bu-
reaus, and the very large number of
marriages that are contracted through
the medium of the personal column"
The old feeling of fear or reluctance
about using business methods to Sc
Gure life partner seems to have died
out, and young women who do not find
/ the SWANS of their acquaintance in a
marrying humor now have recourse to
! the universal panacea and advertise
for beauX.
1t is probable that this sadly utili-
tartan condition of affairs is brought
about by that waning of the sentiment
tai in human nature which some of our
writers have been deploring as one of
the marked features of modern life.
In one newspaper Office to which re-
plies are sent to advertisements of this
character over $4,000 replies are re-
ceived weekly and the number of ac-
squaintances formed in this way yearly
must be enormous. Some of the adver-
tiSements are from matrimonial agen-
rcies, which in answer to replies send
out gaZettes containing large list of
eligible parties.
Through the personal column"
alone it is estimated that about half
the marriages that occur are initiated.
There has never been time before
when the matrimonial bureaus -four
ished as they do now.
4 The writer recently visited one OF
| the oldest and most reliable of these
! concerns in the city in order to find
! out exactly how business was conduct
+ ed there. Had he been suspected of
/ being in search of information for the
+ press he would certainly have obtained
| no information in this quarter, as the
/ business of the concern is necessarily
conducted with the utmost privacy.
/ An air of extreme precautlon marked
| the manner Of the rather austere ell
J derby female who received the reporter.
u 1t Is Not Indelicate.
b ''The idea that it is indicate to seek
/ H life partner through the medium of
a matrimonial agency certainly seems
to be dying out" she said, when asked
If the proceeding was quite consistent
with good taste.
| I'VE have many clients on our books
I
ciety, can assure you," she added re-
assuringly. We find no difficulty in
| transacting such a business on a strict
! 1y legitimate basis We naturally must
! be thoroughly assured of the honorable
intentions of anyone seeking our SER
! vices before an Introduction is given.
| 1.-THE fact that we have been estab-
/ lished nearly twenty years and have
| references for most Of that period from
| persons successfully married is evil
!: dence that people favor the idea and
are benefited by it.
{ "Our clients, of course, come from all
! nationalities and are of almost all ages.
! An eligible parti is by no means as rare
! as one might expect.
4 We have dozens of perfectly honor
able and well-to-do persons on our
( list at the present moment waiting to
be suited.
( 1--WE try to get very definite particu-
| lars as to persons desires before
placing them in communication with
! others.
i I'm this way we find that the most
suitable matches can be made.
I people have generally reached
practical age before they seek our SER
! vices and one is more careful over
starting out a second matrimonial VEN
ture than on the first occasion.
1--WE issue no publication. 1t will
seem 10 you d RATHER pGCulloI IdCl, Jul
the majority of our clients are recon-
amended to us by others who have been
married through our agency.
1--WE charge fee of SIS, payable in
advance, for registering. The next
step we take is to make inquiries con-
corning the bona fides of the applicant.
Do You Want to Marry?
After this preliminary question, the
question was put to me bluntly:
Are you thinking of getting married,
sir?"
There was a sharp, inquisitive look
in the eye of the lady.
Possibly" was the guarded reply.
MAY I inquire if you were ever mar
ried before"
You are forty, should judge, sir?"
| mot quite"
cYou are professional MANI"
"I live in the country"
DO you prefer a blonde or brunette?"
"The latter"
ST think we should have no trouble in
} pleasing you, sir. You have means-an
; income?"
Eyes; quite moderate though" !
'I have one lady, thirty-two years of
age, a widow, very prepossessing in ap-
! pearance, with an income of between two
| and three thousand dollars a year. She
! is well educated, and would prefer man
! of your age to one younger. Shall reg
| lister your"
! Thanks. Can see her photograph"
80. yes, at any time"
| Sand can / meet herr"
| Eyes, we can make an appointment
/ when you decide
/ "Do you require the fee to be paid
( now, upon registering?"
"Well, it is our rule, but you are pre-
sumably, responsible. When such is the
case we are not particular Would YOU
like to see some testimonials"
The janitress of Hymen looked up to
some pigeon holes bristling with letters
~Sand set Of huge ledgers.
There were no Cupids perehing. above
] Them. They were dusty, massive, pom
derous and Disseminating. Thanking the
ing ready to furnish solace for a lonely
one the investigator seized the opportuni-
ty offered by the entrance Of two new
patients to the Office to make his escape
carrying off as a trophy one of the appli-
cation blanks, for general information. The
blank is as follows:
Description No. ......
The following description is given by
( me under the express condition that the
Blanks Private Matrimonial agency for
the aid and guide of the managers only,
and that under no circumstances what
ever it is to be shown to anybody, not
even member of said agency, without my
( written consent. Should a copy of said
dress and names and addresses Of refer
ences are to be left blank.
/. Name in full. .... Religion. .......
2. Address .....,....sss.........
8. What is your age.... Height. .....
4. What is the color of your eyes......
! hair. Complexion .....:.
| 5. What is your nationality. 49,. Native
6. What is your occupation " Income