LIFE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

Evening Star, Issue 3736, 12 February 1875, Page 3

LIFE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

(From the V. Z. Herald's Correspondence.) MATRIMONY. Out of respect f r the fair sex. I give precedence to the a'l important matter of marriage b ominally, the marriage contract is the same in all Christian lands ; its true nature is. however, better understood in its breach than in fts fulfilment ' The oldfa bipned notions concerning this matt r have been swept into the past by the freedom of reform. • Speaking generally, marriage, as understood by Americans, is simply a partnership to be continued as long as the connection is agreeable to \)oth>qrtiea L ke all other parim'rdpps. ii ß has its duties and its responsibilities, but it has no more sacred character than attaches to any ordinary busi ness connection. bo doubt the easy and inexpensive manner in which divorces may be obtained has much to do with the fact Ye New Zealanders, who are troubled Iry the demon incompatibility, and who make night hideous by their quarrels, read this from the daily papers and be happy : _ DIVORCES. Parties can obtain divorces on any grounds no matter where residing, by making appli! cation to the undersigned. Terms, fifty dollars. The utmost secrecy maintained. Apply to No I won’t give the address. I am afraid the Israelitish exodus from Egypt would be ' nothing compared with the hosts that would

wander hither to be untied. It is not the custom here for a man to marry until he has reached a mature age—say forty. He looks upon the matrimonial connection as one in which, ere he enters it, he should have cut his wisdom teeth, and exhausted his disposition to broadcast his favor.'. It is necessary. also, that he provide a handsome establishment for the lady partner who is to occupy it. Most Calitunrans, then fore, marry at forty, taking as wives girls aged from seventeen to twenty-five. But don’t imagine that tlnse seventeen year-o ds are gashing, tender, innocent young things. They are women, full fledged, matured, keen-witted, intel igent companions. If an ) racrican is not rich at fortv he rarely marries, hut enters the noble army of “ Old Bachelors,” and goes d wn to his grave in b essed singleness When a young man marries he has usually drawn a prize in the shape of a rich widow or only child of a millionare. It is the fashion here to have the marriage ceremony performed in th< evening, so th t the glitter of lamps may lend an additional charm to the brilliant scene. When “there is money in it” the display is simply gorgeous. That the world may know how happy she is, the bride takes care that a reporter, one of the Jenkins stamp, is present, and she is careful that he is supplied with a complete Hat of every article of her toilet, both in use and in reserve, and the world is next day told ‘how may petticoats, crinolines, stockings, garters, corsets, &c., &c., the young wife possesses. Her numerous presents are displayed, the name of the donor and the cost is whispered in the reporter’s capacious ear, and again the world is delighted to hear that dohn Kettle has presented Miss Mary Potts with i set of diamond garters, or an improved improver. Very frequently from 500 to 1,000 guests are invited to the wedding, and Jenkins is furnished with a list of the names, md minute desorption .-f the toilet of . ach guest. If the bride s father is a man - f i v prominenc . hj s history and the historx >f his ai:castors is Chronicled f r the spe ia ; ■•Mfio-ition of an ;*>.miring public sprit- d w >rl-'. The c-remony is the least imp u tain •art of the hu. in.-ss—being hurried through wit . little regard for propriety Of cu.se he spread s -uperb, and aim do j ’j' c- is done to the good things provided. Wedding toms are not nearly so fashionable as they used to be and here . tniuk the Am rica *s •.how better ]u igment than do the Children of the Fog Medical men are agreed upo.. this point, that the were and tar of the excitement consequent upon travel, is by n > means good for a lady contemplating early motherhood. I have put this as delicately as possible. AFTER MARRIAGE. Once in her own house, the American lady is a queen. She is absolute mistr ss of the situation. Her husband never dreams of interfering with her domestic arrangements. She entertains when and whom she likes. It makes no difference whether the husband is at borne or not the lady of the house does not need his aid. He is, indeed, permitted to look after the garden, and to order meats and vegetables ; but this is about tbe extent of his privileges And this is in accordance with his own wishes. He has no care for domestic matters ; his soul, every energy of his mind and body, are directed to success in business—for every American has a business of some sort. [ There are no upper-crust loafers in this country ] Tbe American wife (of course I speak generally) is as socially free as her husband. She is treated not merely as his equal, but, as she really is, his superior. An American gentleman is generally as polite and attentive to his own wife as he is to any other man’s ; and that is saying a great deal. ’ American ladies despise EnglL-hmen, because of th> ir brusque manner with their wives. They are satisfied that English gentlemen do not as a rule ba it their wives, but this negative virtue falls very far short of what an American lady demands from her husband. In a very great degree the fulfilment of the marriage promise is reversed the man loves, honors, and obeys. Buif I would not have you think that the American wife is inferior to her sister of England ; on the c utrary, in many important respects, she is superior. There are thousands of American women who could in an emergency, take hold of and manage their husband’s business with a perfect success.