THE MATRIMONIAL QUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1925, Page 3

THE MATRIMONIAL QUEST

CHANGED CON IK LIONS 1\ HER -MAN V. ll is typical of tin- .state of the Gel man money lnarKei. that ai tins iiinei year, when Germany's chief maliinioi ml agents leave Berlin for the lead lll hotels ol Nauheim. Kissingen. Karls bad, anil Hornlnirg-—Wiesbaden is on ot tavour since the Allied occupation they are setting loim, less on an ex poditiun likely to eim in several an tumii weddings, tlian on one that is ti raise -credits lor big inilusl run linns I his Infill oi activity has been the neces s.-iry eorollary oi a prolession on; e st lucrative that, to engineer marriages not only between llerntaus, but helueei Scandinavian, Dutch, and Austrians was to ensure a comfortable fortune.

'I lie lending spirit, of the biggest of these agencies, wiilt three thousand marriages to her credit, stretched over

n permit i.t i ncut v-uvi- years. mlormrc ini' just before her departure lor Karlslaid [hat Int: van' lias iiukli- mure (litIcrcnees In morals tlian optimists know. •Not tlio morals upon winch social standards arc Imili. up. which have rip.'ited 1 hemsclvcs aoaiu. Imt ol the hunt that rule ilclds o] lioiioiir, t- ces for introdminp; likely husbands 11 possible wives tire not reropniseil in any l oil 1 1 lien ta i court, prevalent thounli the euslnlu is. lint licioro tin; war liutli the Continental business man's and nobleman's word was such that, however hit'll t lie perrrtilape deuiamied. lie paid the sum cheerfully, somewhere about the weddiiip day. To-day the words "I will ptty when I can" signify very little. Iteady money is. so scarce that one seldom "can." lienee Cupid is hemp eia ltatiped tor credits, anil t lie skiliul apenl ol termers day-., besides arr.mpiup lor the peutleman from llainhure to meet the- lady trout Salzburp at. Karlsbad, uses her Knowledge ol the world in hrinp ahum ai-(|uiiiniiiauee ships likely to lead to pood investment - at

:M ]>er ci'iil inloivst—when risks lv t.'ikrn lu'Uvivn kiisinc.-s men :»i:«l ■omen Crum :iH iivor tin- ltcii'li. SI.I'M I’ JN Ti I'liKS.

Save that, in Central European i ir■les, hi irons tuv af at a discount except is husbands for film stars, a title no linger, save in film circles, covers a

nultitudc of both sin and debts, hnnaii nature is as ii was. .Men want ionics it tic I women want husbands. The ocial status of the unmarried woman

is still incomplete. The wealthy woman does not know how to enjoy life alone. The professional woman in Germany and Austria oilers both hersell and her money-making capacity for the title of “frau.” Women doctors in particular feel tile necessity of this, hut artists, photographers, business women, and social workers are as eager to marry as heiresses to big estates, who profess to need male authority to govern their little community adequately. Ii is only the woman teacher who knows that marriage means tin* probable, though not inevitable, end ol her career. The others find that being unmarried is an actual drawback to them. One notable point characterises these husband-hunters. They are nearly ail pretty. I’gly women are ashamed, it appears, to use the means of a matrimonial agent, who would he the first to remind them of their drawbacks. AVIDOAV’S HOI'SKS.

As regards the men, owing to lams iug shortage, widows are more sought to-day ver. If the widow of today does not possess ready money, the management ol her factory, business, or farm offers a sure and sale means of existence. Young medical men eager to start a nursing home, as the best paying part ol the doctor s prnlossinn today are attracted by the owner ol a big and well equipped house likely to serve this end. I’nder the Republic and Civil servant, with the high-sound-ing title and the pension, should all else go wrong, is at a discount unless lie is"" a party man with the prospect of a Cabinet post some May. Even (hen, however, the average woman of the Continent is jealous of politics, and fights she of the political enthusiast in married life.

There are certain hard-and-fast rules from which there is no departure. A man should take care of his hands: no matter how bald, how corpulent, how ugly lie ho, his potential wife will judge him by the state of his finger-nails. Only a big house and a big car can eel’ them overlooked. For women there are several don’is. These are interesting, as they mirror a widespread international opinion. A woman should, when actively engaged mi the pursuit, of a certain definite male, he sparing .as regards cosmetics, not talk too much, never giggle, and above all. never argue a point aggressively.