HELPING PEOPLE TO MARRY.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3098, 22 January 1879, Page 1

HELPING PEOPLE TO MARRY.

Of all the papers which I hare chanced to read in London, that which has mostly interested and fascinated me is one devoted to the promotion of marriage and conjugal felicity. The old formalities of society and the rip id rales ot etiquette impose such restrictions upon the sexes that thousands of marriageable men and women who never hare a chance of meeting find in this organ the means of com' munication and arrangement. Some thousands of advertisements appear in its columns, and they famish rich reading. .Notwithstanding,all that has been said in praise of blondes, these columns show infallibly that the desirable complexion is "dark" and "pretty." "A gentleman with wavy auburn hair, Jong blonde mustaches, alluring eyes and Greek profile," wishes, etc. Another " middle - aged, temperate, good-looking and respectable gentlemen, who does not chew nor smoke tobacco, does not swear, drink or gamble, who is neither rich nor poor, learned, nor unlearned, saint nor devil, hypocrite nor sycophant, spendthrift nor miser; no bigot in religion, no tyrant in politics, but believes in ' the golden rule,'" etc., wants to marry some womau between the ages of twentyfive and forty. The woman must have "a good disposition, wealthy, respectable, good common sense, and no foolish pride." A cheerful husband he would be! Beautiful and wealthy young American ladies announce their readiness to marry Englishmen of good social position. Lonely widows aim their shafts at priests of the Church of England. They have all such affectionate hearts, are so good tempered, so pretty, so gentle, so accomplished, so capable of making life blissful and home heavenly, that the male reader finds himself quite desirous to marry a dozen or two of them at once. It is harrowing to the feelings to see sucli opportunities flashing before the face in a mocking sort of manner. Some of the notices appeal to one's sympathies. "A handsome widow of fifty■ years, with an income of £450 a year, having lost her only child, feels lonely and wishes to marry again." Most of the gentlemen express a readiness to better their temporal fortune. Many of the women unselfishly announce that money is no object if only good appearance or affection or sympathy be secured. Here is an advertisement that should not go long unanswered, one would think: ".A widow lady, fair, fat and forty, with £40,000, wishes to marry again. Isn't

it aggravating ? A Congregational minister puts in his plea for " a Christian lady with means." He guarantees such a person happiness. A convert to Catholicism Wants "an humble-minded, dear little Wife," before Advent. Occasionally these advertisers, especially the widowers, drop into poetry and make up a sweet little notice that is calculated to make some of the sparkling widows weep for joy. " Instead of fortune, will any gentleman, between fifty and seventy, marry a titled lady, aged thirty-seven,dark, short, ■light, aristocratic face, soft, bright eyes, ■weet, refined voice, hair one yard threee inches long, the Norman sign of high birth, pleasant, kind and economical?" Isn't that direct and honest? If she only bad fortune too. Many of the writers describe and define their religious connections, and state the great advantage they can offer in a Christian home and holy surroundings. These are usually men, and one can easily fancy the sort of religious discipline they would exercise.