Year: 1860

be brought together there is scarcely a
pair OF minated young folks in the whole
circle o. the good woman's juvenile ao-
lquaintance. Ii has been said that match-
es are made in heaven. If so it is heav-
en- wherever Mrs. Matchmongyr is; and
she is constantly preparing mansions for
guests OF her kingdom. She does not
spend much time at home, for her occu>
patton gives her extensive notoriety, and
her services are not unwelcome to most
of her young friends Of the female sex
particularly. At all events, it is quite
unavai!inG to attempt 10 exclude Mrs.
Matchmonger from any circle of beeux
and bellies; if not Invited, she will be
there all the same if not taken in as an
ally she makes 4 kind Of "raid" OH he
select assembiage, and taking the citadel
by storm proceeds TO organize ana admin
ister government of her own, on the in.
slant. Having assumed the proprietor
ship of the commune, she at once divides
the inhabitants by pair, and setts them to
work getting notions" for each other. If
a young lady is difficult" the amiable
matron smooths the approach to her dig
niied presence, by Establishments and
persuasive eloquence, in favor of sighted
beaux If a young gentleman is too mod,
est, she impels him by panegyrics on the
charms Of his future mate, on her excel
lenee, her wealth, and finally or his own
deserts, and the fact that he alone is wor-
Thy to win such prize.


The best OF the story is in the fact, that
Mrs. Matchmonger is, nine times out Of
ten, entirely successful, so far as the cons
summation of her part is concerned for
when the "match is mated" Mrs. Ms.
work is done: when the benediction is
pronounced over the work of her great in
tellect, she turns with smile OF satisfac-
ton, and sets off at good speed for anoth.
er "cstch, as she calls her occupation
As she never takes the trouble to look af-
ter the matrimonial welfare other protsges,
of course she knows nothing of their
future life, nor does that kinds of inter-
est seem to occur to her. If matrimony
! is bliss, the contamination has come With
the first moment Of the honeymoon and
when people have got into paradise, what
more do they want of their friends-not
even their prayers.


Perhaps the favorite game Of Mrs s.
Matchmonger are bachelors of uncertain
age, who are apparently running to seed
in rather rapid and suspicious manner,
without any apparent object in life. For
this class of her fellow beings the "dear
lady," feels deep concern, which does
honor to her heart, as we'll as to her pro-
found knowledge of human nature, or her
intimate "acquaintonces with mems ways"
as she is pleased to express it. There is
no estimating the amount Of missionary
duty which this woman performs among
men who have lived long enough to know
better, and, probably, will never leave off
knowing worse, every year of their re,
naming lives. 1t is matter OF regret
that amoug this obdurate race Of beings,
the good danes success is by no means
commensurate with her deserts. And
yet we have known Mrs. Mstchmonger to
make the happiness or misery of more
than one bachelor, wko thought himself
proof against the Vaccinations of any
"foe to freedom" One of her best levers
on such dead weights, as your forty
year OLD incorrigibles, is the fortune game.
We have known her in n case of despera>
tion-on the winning of which she had
staked her reputation as Hymen's faith
ful servant-to suggest 10 ar impenitent
wretch off thirty five, not only the pro-
priety of seeking the hand of young la.
dy of great wealth, but the further in
ducement,that as she was in consumption
the lucky husband might soon expect to
become the sole owner of her fortune"


Our bachelor friend to whom this rems
arkable proposition was made, happened
10 be rather grave in temper, and not al
ways alive to jokes of so subtle and deli
cate character as that. Really" he re.
piled, he was very much delighted to
hear that the young lady possessed so con-
venient thing as large fortune that
though he was not rich enough himself,
he knew enough of the want of money to
make pretty good guess of its probable
value; that he only regretted that the
condition of her health was such as to
prevent the enjoyment OF her fortune for
many years; but that the proposition
which was made to him was not exactly
in his line of business, as he preferred If
he was driv an TO get goods on false preten-
ces, to seek some commodity of sterner
fabric and more durable nature than an
invalid heiress."


We do not believe that Mrs. Match>
monger ever tried her skill ou that sub.
Ject again.


We have said that our kind friend nev.
er follows up her achievements in match
making to see what they come to; but a
good many people have taken the trouble
to do this work for her. and they have
come to the conclusion that Mrs. Match-
monger's system is wrong; in fact, that
1t is following after nature by an infrac,
tion Of natures laws, and generally fatal
10 the happiness which is the reward Of
married life.


Marriage being Of course the natural
condition ofthe human race, it is best to
enter it in the natural way, and convey.
aneers Tor this kind of estate are not the
best mediums of bargain for life. Par.
ties who are drawn together by mutual
attraction-,one OF natures laws--are
much more likely to find agreeable com-
panions in each other, than if they had
met, while each was on the hunt after
sombody or anybody. Marriage is like
what the patriotic candidate says of
| place" not to be sought, and not to be