MARRYING FOR MONEY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 54, 22 February 1908, Page 4

MARRYING FOR MONEY.

HV USE H'llO DID IT-A.VD IS.V'J' sniinv yi:t. I have never been abl • to under,Und wlu men. otherwise sane enough, prcf-i' love and a penniless bride to one who.," charms, l„. th,..,- many or few. are well gilded. To me such a preference lias iilwny, se.'iucd the slroiigrsl proof th-il "hive" i, in,l. I,nly blind, but ,lupi,| and .shortsighted as well.

(If course. I know thai the man who puts gold in the scale, against -.uiiiiient is considered a contemptible creature, who richly dc.erves all the miser-.-that is predicted for him. "In taking il dower with a wife." say, one sage- - who, 110 doubt, never iii-iiic the ev'ie'.'iment himself, and was smrv at heart Hi.it he hadn't- -"ih„u losest iliv lil"H v She will ride upon thee, ilon'iin.-s", as she list, wear the breech-s. and begar thee besides." Well, in eierv oiler relation „f life ihi,. very- philosopher would call a man l : ng the be.-l |:,,,,ible lenns lor himself:

and there is ceriainlv no other contrac. in which what tlio-i' who haven't ..1,; it call "lilthv lucre" phi.s .-., e-enii-il a part. Ask nine couples out of ten v.-in.it 1.1,0,' hive found I lie greatest drawback !o wedilcil happiness. a n-l with one voice thev will aicwer. " Monev anxieties." They clog Hie wheel, of the inalr'nionial car as nothing else can; the/ promote friction- and irictimi is fatal. Love can't hear il. It stops its ears anil Hies -■diiieking 11 way. The man who " 111:11'. lie, money "ul any rate eliminates once and for all the chief drawback (0 niatrimonv.

I-'roiu Hie wif"'s point of view. 100. if in invaluable. The penniless wife w ! ll fell you I hat -he liuds nollrng morn galling than her dependmice on lier husband for every penny she spends. "If I only had lifly pounds a year of my own." -aid a niarricd lady to' the writer. '■ what a ilill'el-enie il would' make to my happiness!' Ann so. n„ doubt, it would, for in married relations tlieve can be little -happiness without equality, and there: can he no equality where one lias all and the other has nothing. 1 am. of course. ns,<uniing. thai the man who marries for money is prepared to make mine eiintribiilhi'ii himself Lo the family exchequer. lie must contribute his share, if lie wishes to reap bis reward, and he will enjoy what he gets all the mure for earning what lie

"nm," übjccls the bachelor, "this is all very well in theory; hut where am I to find the gilded maiden':" Anywhere, everywhere, my friend. (,'irl's with money—in the present or iu prospectare thick as blackberries in autumn. Il is a notorious fact Hint these are the very girls who principally recruit the army of old maids. tVh v . I l<now one suburb of London-and il is I epical of many -where two girls out of every three either have or will have moneylots of il. in many cases. And the weddings in this suburb during a single year can he counted 011 the" lingers "el one hand.' "

(hey are nice girls, too. with their share of good looks and ability and accomplishments; and vet the" ,r,oat army of wifc-seekem passes (hem by It is a fact that the proportion of eligible wives among well-dowered "iris is ipiile as great as among (|,oir neiir-i----less sisters. iim | this fact adds to lie mystery—why haven't they at least an ot|Ual chance of securing 'husbands? Here. then, is a grievance -and i| S remedy: and the bachelor who docs not follow mv example and woo and win a "gilded maid;' 1,,,. himself to blame il he does not reap my reward in a life blessed with a good 'life piirliier. and lice from that crownin" life-worn-winch is all summed up in three Idler's - L' •.. d.