Year: 1874

Beecher.


\ MATRIMONIAL MART IN lrALY.-A pa
per Of the late Lady Amberley in Macmif-
lGn's Magazine describes visit she paid to
| a novel institution in Palermo. Picture 4
large, long room, the centre portion of which


is divided off from the sides and further end
by an iron grating, which forms 4 cage,
entered only by a wcll-barred street door,
through which visiters from the outer world
are admitted. Here they sit on benches to
converse with those from the outside of the
iron grating. Friends Of the Sisters. or en-
ployes of the place and the foster parents
are the usual visitors. Once a week, how
ever, on Sunday mornings, from ten to
twelve, this place is the scene Of the most
novel and ludicrOus courtships. One Of the
objects of this motherly establishment is to
find fit and proper husbands for the girls
under their charge, the one requisite being
that the young man Is bound to show him
self in possession Of sufficient means to
maintain wife in comfort before he i
allowed to aspire to the hand of one Of these
precious damsels. Having given in his ere
dentials OF fitness to the guardians, he re
ceiyes a card which admits him next Sunday
morning to an inspection Of the candidates
for matrimony.


There, sitting on a bench. if his curiosity
and ardor will allow him to remain sitting,
he awaits the arrival on the other side Of
the grating of the lady superior, accom-
panied bv girl. She has been selected by
the order Of seniority and capacity for house
hold work, from the hundred or more be-
tween seventeen and twenty-one. awaiting
for a youth to deliver them from their prison.
The two young people, both no doubt
breathleSs with agitation at the Importance
Of the ceremony, have to take one long,
fixed look at each other No word i spok
en-, no sign made. These good sisters be
lieve 50 fully in the language Of the eye that
TO their minds any addition Is futile, and
might bat serve 10 mystiiy the pure and
perfect effect Of love at first sight The
look over, the lady superior ask the man if
he viii accept the maiden as his bride.
Should be answer in the affirmative, the
same question is put 10 her, and if She bows
her assent, the betrothal has taken place,
and they part till the Sunday following.


The young lover again makes his appear
ance before the tribunal Of guardians, and
there the contract is signed. the day or mar
rage fixed. and he Is granted leave 10 bring
the ring. earrings, n wedding dress and o'H-
fan and present them, through the grill Of
course, 10 his betrothed Every thing has
t. pas the scrutiny of the sisters. for fear
of a letter Of some tender word being slipped
in with the gifts DIring the few Sundays
that intervene between the first love scene
and the marriage, an hours conversation
within hearing of the lady superior Is
allowed. but not a touch Is exchanged. The
empty talk, intersperSed with giggling, con-
~i-ts Of inquiries as to the wedding dress, the
sort of c0nfcfh most liked and the occupa-
tion and the place of abode Of the suitor.
should the young man refuse the first dam
sci presented to him he Is favored with the
sight Of three or more, bat should he still
appear dlff1ie he Is dismissed. The girl
also has power Of refusal.


The marriage over. the task OF the sisters Is
done. and whether happiness and iaithtulnes-
are the result Of this heathenishr rite they never
inquire. Visitors have wondered what IN
ducement there can be to make the youths
who have the world to choose from come
here in search of a wife Two hundred and
fifty francs is the great attraction. That
sum is given in the dowry with each of these
girls, and for that sum, it seems, 4 Sicllian
i willing to sell himself. Those girls Tor
whom the institution fails to find husbands
are allowed at twenty-one to face tempta-
tions alone, and situations are found Tor
them.