The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-19
An Episode Of
Travel
By MARTHA v. MONROE

brought about In different ways from
those prevailing in America. Win US
the great bulk Of the marriages are
made for love: in Europe they are
largely arranged by the parents. Win
us the bride is not expected to nave
a stated dowry: In Europe the amount
must not only be fixed. but settled
upon the bride before marriage. In
America there are no marriage Dro.
kers. or. at least. there Is no such ihsti
tuition; in Europe there are places, nota-
bly, Geneva. where most OF the mar
riages are brought about by this craft.
Jim Wilson. a young American. find
Ing himself In place where such was
the prevailing custom. was much In
terested In It. Jim was one OF those
fellows who 4re not conten. with OBJ
serving odd Ways. but must try them
He went to a marriage broker and
gave him an order for a wife. Not
that he expected to marry; his purpose
was to experience a case OF wife ne
gotiation. The broker told him that
the man was expected to deposit sur
ficient money to pay all expenses: that
when introduced to lady, the object
being matrimony. he might. after see
ing her, withdraw. and she had the
same privilege.
All classes awaited themselves OF
the brokerage system. from the hlgn
est down to those who could not ar
ford the expense Jim was introduced
to the daughter Of a colonel IN the
army. He found a very ladylike ana
a very comely young person VINO re-
ceived him, ignoring the purpose or
the meeting entirely. but chatting with
him frankly and with charming man
ner.
Jim could not understand how girl
of her refinement could depend upon a
broker to find her husband and yet
he knew that in the place where she
lived such was considered about the
only process by which girls could find
husbands. He felt ashamed Of himself
for entering upon the matter since he
had done so merely from curiosity.
Thinking that the best way out or
the matter was to withdraw at once,
he told his broker to say to the lady
that he had decided that marriages be-
tween different nationalities were not
likely to be happy and II he married he
would mate with one Of his own coun-
trywomen. He had been told that 1t
was the privilege Of either party to
withdraw and felt no conjunction at
doing so.
One day while walking In park,
where a military band was playing
as people promenaded or sat about
in groups. he came upon the young
lady he had met for the purpose Of
gratifying his matrimonial curiosity
sitting at table with her father, who
was slipping wine and smoking ciga-
rettes. He expected to be recognized. II
at all. with reserve. perhaps embarrass.
ment To his surprise she bowed to
him with n smile. He did the proper
thing by advancing and expressing
himself charmed to meet her again
Her father. the colonel, rose. bowed
very low and invited him to take a
seat and partake OF liter Of wine.
Jim was immensely pleased. After
all, the matrimonial brokerage custom
was not so bad. At any rate. here was
girl who had the good sense to con
slider the preliminaries In the light Of
business transaction and not feel
hurt that he had not proceeded in the
affair. He chatted with her for some
time. when her father took her away,
giving him cordial invitation to call
upon them.
Jim was much pleased to make a
pleasant acquaintance In this peculiar
manner When he reached home it
would be one of the episodes of travel
to tell his friends. He determined to
accept the invitation for once at least
and within few days made the call
The lady, though as modest rs before
seemed to feel n greater freedom that
the matrimonial business was no long
er between them. Contrary to Euro
Deul CuStOiliS, lc WIS itll ilpnt "llu
her and when he departed felt that he
had spent one of the most delightful
evenings of his life.
Three weeks from that evening he
left the lady again feeling that for him
the bottom had dropped out of the uni.
verse. He had fallen desperately in
love with the lady he had declined to
marry and proposed 10 her. She had
refused him, giving him TO understand
that she would not marry a foreigner
and on no account an American.
If Mr.. Wilson had any curiosity II
was to know why she had received
him cordially at first as Suitor
and now that he was ready To complete
what the broker had begun would not
accept him. He knew that her father
had nothing but his pay in the army
and had felt certain that the marriage
on that account alone might have been
arranged He concluded IN so ~ tho
broker who had introduced him with
view to learning what had brought
about the change That person said
to him:
"Monsieur. the lady could not he ex.