Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-08-23
ODD ADS IN GERMAN PAPER
Those MatrImoniaIIy Inclined Frankly
State Their Desires In Big
Display Type.

tyefman 'CupluS IN the form OF mar
riage brokers' for matrimonial
frauds, have again called attention to
the lucrative business on the conti-
nent of joining hearts, hands and
pocketbooks e.d a dip into the latter
by the cupid" Few days go by
that the daily papers do not chronicle
the arrest of some man or woman for
misrepresentation or obtaining money
by fraud in trying to bring two hearts
and their worldly possessions togeth-
er. or leading some one to believe
that.
The marriage broker" is a fixed in
stitution in Germany and Austria. In
fact In most continental countries.
There Is the square" kind and the
kind that Is not. The former usually
will tell you that they have a "reputa.
ton" to uphold and the other kind
generally have none to lose. 1t Is
the business of a broker or a broker
ess." for the most successful "cupids"
are women, to find two hearts that are
willing to attempt to beat In unison
under the magnetic influence Of two
pocketbooks united being larger and
more imposing than each by itself
and OF being able to accomplish
what one alone cannot
One has but to look into the adver.
tising columns of one of the big dali
les on Sunday to note that in mar
riage, as in all other things. the av-
erage German is decidedly "practi-
cal" 1t would be going too far to
say, as some have said, that love
cuts no figure in marriages in Ger
many. There are many love mar
riages and the basis of such are often
more lasting because Of sound finan-
cial foundation to start with.
An American is impressed, however.
with the idea that all things "practi-
CAL such as income, estate and
OF course birth and social standing,
come first, and are the grounds In
which love is to sprout and grow
stronger.
If he or she is inclined to close their
eyes to that, his or her parents are
sure to open them. Under conditions
that obtain on the continent it may
be well that this isn't lost sight of.
American newspapers have their
matrimonial advertising columns also,
but they are modest in size and read
ing as compared to many advertise
ments in the German papers. 1t is
not unusual to see a display lad"
two or three columns wide with
heavy black border, as is used in
America around death notices.
The qualifications for life compan-
ions sometimes are bit queer. In
a recent issue Of newspaper man
who advertised himself frankly as
being physically defective" says:
AS only like and like can be en-
duringly happy. ! desire wife who
has similar physical atIliction.
Young woman who has one leg shorter
than the other preferred. Artificial
leg not excluded. Give age, descrip-
tion and a history of defect" An
other advertiser, mechanic. twenty
nine years of age, wants "a wife with
artificial leg and some means"
What strikes an American as lit
tie too practical is the advertising of
wanting to marry into business"
Here is an advertisement out of one
OF the largest Berlin papers:
"Widower, Israelite, 80, large. hand
some, with son IA, seeks life compan-
ion with means. Would marry into
some large undertaking as brewery,
mill. grain or cattle business Widows
and guiltless Divorces not excluded"
Another lad" in display type reads:
Cultured gentleman is offered op-
portunity to marry into lucrative Ber-
lin machine factory"
A priest advertises that he Is of
fine appearance, is dissatisfied with
his calling and would like to marry
woman of some means that would
enable him to take some other voca-
tion in life. A Jewess advertises:
Il seek for my daughter who Is
musical and domestic, a proper hus-
band She has dowry of $4,000"
A chief clerk in hotel who is about
to start large wine restaurant
would like to find young woman
with $4,000 to become his wife and
business partner. A relative" evil
IDENTIFY desirous of getting rid of a
burden, wants to find a husband for
q widow. A merchant, twenty-nine,
Of large elegant appearance, would
like to marry into a factory or large
industrial enterprise" He doesn't
mind if it's widow that brings him
the factory.
In large display "ad," two col
umns wide. young Jewess asks:
Are there still men whose circum-
stances permit them to follow the in
clinatior of their hearts in the choos-
ing of wife?" She is twenty, wants
a husband in good circumstances"
and she will add $4,000 to the family
fund.
So rur the advertisements which
cover two pages of a large Sunday