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A Marriage Broker—Speculating in Young People’s Hearts—Successful Matrimonial Agency.—Yesterday a gentleman appeared before U. S. Commissioner Hayne to enter a complaint against a woman, who, he alleges, has been receiving fees for forming matrimonial alliances without obtaining a revenue license from the government. The person thuscomplained of is a Mrs. H , (wo suppressthe name until the case shall have a hearing,) who keeps an intelligence office on South Clark Street.The statement is, that she negotiates for both parties, agrees to obtain a wife for a gentleman for a certain amount, and rice versa, she will obtain for a lady a husband. Having the preliminaries satisfactorily arrunged, it is possible that in both cases she receives fees from both the bride and bridgroom when a raarriago is effected.The gentleman who gave the information to the commissioner, says the lady is doing a thriving business. Matrimonial agencies are evidently better paying institutions than one would imagine who is not acquainted with them. He says he can bring forward two witnesses whohave become uuited in wedlock through the agency of Mrs. M .This certainly is a new branch of business in Chicago. When this sort of speculation begins to pay, the question arises, what sort of business is it that won’t pay ? Marriages have been consummated through the medium of advertising; that is neither novel or wonderful at the present day; but when a lady attempts to establish an agency by which hearts are to be exchanged at fixed rates of premium and discount, she deserves credit from the whole world for inventive talent at least.We should like to understand the modus operands of conducting the business. It would bo a-plcasing sight, no doubt, to see an aspirant leaving his or her order for a partner for life. Wonder if it causes palpitation or nervousness as the direct application does, or whether one goes at it as if lie wore purchasing a lobster.If the lady succeeds well on a small scale, the business might be extended, and a simple local agency might in the course of a few years arrive at the dignity of a colossal “ Northwestern Agency.” Imagine orders from abroad : “Send me by next train a wife”—and by the way to facilitate business, there ought to be some wav of designating them besides giving long and tedious descriptions ; by numbers, for instance, as boots and shoes—“ Send me by next train a wife, number eight. Enclosed find check, c.” Would’nt that be grand i Number eight would perhaps be a medium sized lady, with light hair, blue eyes, good education, c., while number nine would vary slightly, the hair and eyes being a shade darker, and the education not so good. Then imagine the indignation of the agentess when a wife happened to bo retumod, with a note accompanying, “Dont suit.” Merchants of all kinds object seriously to haring goods returned : the marks of use about them are apt to lead other customers into the belief that they are secondhand. Oh 1 it’s terrible I A matrimonial agency established in the center of civilization ! The world does more.
Newspaper Details
Indianapolis Indiana State Sentinel
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Mon, May 30, 1864
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Quentin R.
IN, USA 14 Sep 2016
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