The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-27
MATRIMONIAL METHODS
FOREIGN WAYS ARE BEING I'M
PORTED
Love as 1t Is Now Managed Is Largely
a Matter of Dollars and Cents-How
Titled Foreigner Arranges to Marry
Rich American Girl

Americans claim to be much shocked
at the bargaining sort of way that
marriages are arranged in France and
other countries, but we should proceed
to take the mote from our eye before
being so ready to see the beam in that
of others. If you read the personal
column of certain New York paper
and unfortunately other papers are en-
ulating it and one not far from US
one would imagine that it was the
American way to advertise for huS-
bands and wives. Matrimony in this I
country among a low class and a sup
posedly high one is becoming a matter
of money and bargaining. The papers
are full of advertisements for wives
with means" and the stranger in this
country could not be blamed for be-
lieving that marriages instead of being
made in heaven over here are made in
the newspapers.
Although members of the smart set
in New York would repudiate with
scorn the personal columns, or any.
thing so vulgar, the marriages of rich
girls of that set to titled foreigners
have been managed in ways no whit
more respectable, save the publicity
.
or duke takes a fancy to one of the :
heiresses-and he is most careful not
to fancy an impecunious young woman
he next turns his attention to the
practical side of affairs, and sends for
his lawyer. 1t is the business of the
latter to see that the millions the
young woman is to inherit, or that are
promised by her father are really ex-
lstent and we'll invested. This is done
quietly and sometimes the prospective
bride and her people do not know that
inquiries are being made. There are
many ways in these modern days to
md out how a man is fixed financially
ana whether he is a person of his word
IL the lawyer reports that everything
looks We'll and the securities are pro-
Nlded for, the next step is the proposal
to the young woman, and then the pre-
Hmlnarles with her father. Alas, there
is little danger of the young man being
refused. There are one or two girls in
New York of whom it is rumored that
they have refused titles, but this is
only a.rumor. Instead of being over,
the real business of the affair begins in
earnest and the duke can now bring
his lawyer forward. The settlement is
the great question, and the generous
American father must not only say
how much he will give, but often an
lron-bound contract must be made
which binds the wife to-be to make a
viii i'll her husbands favor so that if
she dies the money will go to his fam
lily, and not revert to hers Every con-
ungencY is provided for and the details
gone over and over before the affair is
finally sealed and signed. This is love
in the smart set
The very persons who do this thing
would be terribly shocked by reading
advertisements for rich wives, or huS-
bands with means. The difference is in
your minds eye.
A case which has been going the
rounds of the papers shows that this
method of arranging matrimonial con-
tracts has not been lost upon others in
different walk of life. 1t concerns a
man who began a correspondence-ob-
Ject, matrimony-with a woman who
was friend of a friend of his. He had
inquired particularly about her cir
cumStanceS and was informed that she
had been left money which would not
become hers until this coming Septem-
Der. The other day he went to visit
her for the first time, and when he got
there found that she had taken out a
marriage license and made all prepara-
lions for wedding. The man instead
of being pleased, waXed very indignant
and declared that he would be no party
to sudden affair, that he preferred to
wait month or two and see whether
she really got the money she claimed
was coming to her. Then he said if
things turned out as she had said he
would be perfectly willing to marry
her.
So We infer from this and other signs
1t is not alone in foreign lands that
sentiment seems to be on the wane
Americans, too, are becoming very pro-
sale about their matrimonial matters.