Year: 1870

The New York correspondent of the


Troy Times writes:


The modern style of marriage is MS


fruitful source of splendid misery as


can be imagined. The artist Hogartl


made a great hit by illustrating the mar


riage q ta mode of this day, and were he


now alive he might find an equally rich


subject in the high life of New York ]
knew an instance of a splendid marriage
in which, among other items of display,
half-dozen groomsmen and brides
maids were put in service. The we'd
ded pair sailed for Europe, and while en-
joying the luxury of its gayest capital,
the husband detected his wife correspond
ing with her music teacher, a fine look
ing German by whom she had been
captivated. He Immediately notified
the parents to send for their daughter,
whom he at once abandoned. Within
six months from her wedding the bride
was back in her fathers house. That
trifing ingredient in matrimony called
love is overlooked when the gratifca-
ton of social ambition is at hand, but
the bride will yet find the true master
of her heart, and, as in Hogarth's ia
nous series to which l referred, an in
trigue will be the result. In the mean
time, while she shares the grandeur of a
splendid establishment, she feels that
bitterness of disappointment which
gives life to Hason. Among the more
noted of these marriages q la mode is
that of a public man of considerable
notoriety, who was at that time a
widower of fifty, with a bad rep
utation both in social and political mat
ters. However, he was reputed to be
rich, and wealth, like charity, covers a
to young lady, who had reached the
ripe age of sixteen. and hence might be
expected toknow her price. This was a
house in the Fifth avenue, worth 500,
600, to be conveyed before the perform
ance of that ceremoney which was to
unite the affectionate couple. The deed
was executed, but it is more than whis-
pered that just one day prior to this the
premises were confdentally mortgaged
for $95, ZOO. The bride, under these
circumstances, might draw consolation
from the fact that her honorable and
honored husband shaved everybody that
came in contact with him, and hence
such piece of sharp practice might
reasonably be expected.


/ presume that the young lady refer
red to took pattern by another marriage
q la mode, which occurred several years
previousuly, and excited great deal of
remark This took place between a
distinguished financier and the daughter
of an eminent naval officer It is said
that in this instance the consideration
was not only deed of Fifth avenue
mansion, but 800, 900 In valuable stocks.
This match, as / have said, excited
great notice, and even censure,
owing to the husbands an
tecedents. As the season advances
the matrimonial market is excited, and
several important bargains are now
under way. Mention is made of an al
lance near at hand, between four
story brown stone house, with carriage
and servants, and fortune on top of il
of $3.50, 900, on the one hand (encumber-
ed by 200 pounds of flesh and blood,
with the bloated countenance of a rakish
widower,) and on the other chignon
and trousseau, a smattering of French,
and love of the world, the flesh and the
devil, all done upin the painted form of
q fashionable young lady.