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Show - H The Marriage Vow I MATCHES AND MATCHMAKERS fl BY VIRGINIA VAN DE WATER. M The matchmakor rushes In whoro Angola fear to tread. And yot sho Is no fool. And her lot Is not an easy ono. Sho is suspected by tho world-wise, world-wise, tolorntcd by tho young and uninitiated, unin-itiated, and frequently ashamed of horsolf. Still sho exists and contlnuos to mnko matches. In one of tho Gypsy Bronton books, denr to tho childish heart of a quarter-century quarter-century ngono, tho small boy says that (Jod mndo matches, but that "Ho UBed tho burning brlmetono from tho jad plnco to put on tho tips." Later a well-known author makes her horolno horo-lno remark: "Matches may bo mado In honven, but they somotlmes sorvo to light tho fires of woll tho other plnco, vory effectually." Tho fact that tho two characters mentioned roforrcd to different kinds of matches docs not alter tho truth that may bo drawn Trom both remarks. This truth Is applicable ap-plicable to tho match with which wo havo to do moro than to tho Innocent llttlo wood and bfimstono nrtlclo. It Is not difficult to understand why tho devoted mother nttompts to havo a hand In tho settling of her daughter's, daugh-ter's, marriage She takes It for granted thnt sho will marry most womon do and no woman knowB true happiness until sho Is a bolovod nnd loving wlfo nnd a Joyful mother. Is It Btrnngo, then, thnt tho oldorly woman in whoso power tho hnpplncss or un-unppinona un-unppinona of hor child ennnot always rest longs to piny destiny for hor darling and establish hor In Ufa ns Bho thinks will bo most conduclvo to hor tuturo welfnro? To this end Bho wants aor girls to marry a gentleman, nntl horo tho Is tho rock upon which many a mother nnd child split n man with enough money to support his family In comfort. Lovo muBt bo tho koynoto of a happy hap-py marrlngo, but tho koynoto nlone loos not mnko n "grand, sweet Bong." This Is not pe88lmlslm; it is truth. Tho mother knowB it Is truth, nnd crowns upon penniless John's suit, knowing that If ho Is nccoptod tho pretty girlish hnnds must wnsh llshes, perhaps mako fires. At best, ihoro miiBt ho tho turning nnd twist ng of wnys nnd means, tho counting of every llvo-cont enr faro, tho making over of last year's drosses, tho lying awnko far Into tho night wondoring how tho forthcoming bills of doctor and nurso nro to ho paid. Wo may, therefore, pardon tho mother who tries to mako n "good match" for her child. It Bho some H times sots aside tho child's wishes, in H cites hor to a cold, practical consld orntton of marrlngo thnt la to bo do- H plorcd, wo must romombor thnt hot H over-zeal Is duo to a great lovo, and H condono tho error for tho motlvo that H actuates it. H Wo cannot say as much of tho mar. H rlod woman who sees a posatblo on- H gagomont and mnrrlngo in over; H couplo thnt sho, or chanco, has thrown H together. Ono Is almost tempted to H wondor if thoro Is a matchmaking H microho that attacks such matrons H Slnco, ns has been said above, tht H perfection of bliss is to bo found In ' H n hnppy union, tho convorso Is nlso H truo. No grcntor misery la known H than that brought about by an un- H hnppy marrlngo. To bo tied for Ufa H (unless ono rushes with nn cngornosa H worthy or a hotter causo Into tho dl- jH vorco court) to nn unconganlnl mato, H to livo undor tho snmo roof, to oat at H tho samo tablo, to shnro tho snmo In- H como, to consider tho tastes nnd dls- H tastes, to recolvo tho roproachos, to H oboy tho behest of such nn ono, to H humor his or hor whims la 'a foro- H tasto of that locality from which tho H smnll boy doclnred tho tlpa of match- H es wero made. H Knowing nil this, our matchmaker H contlnuos upon hor way, playing prov- H ldonco or fnto to mnny n young couplo H who woro hotter loft npart. Or, If not H hotter npnrt, thoy will soldom nppro- H clnlo tho fact that thoy woro brought H together by a woll-mcnnlng friend, ' H nnd If Bho calls their attontlon to hor H efforts In their behalf thoy will resent H hor suggestion. Tho Ideal Woro thoy not meant from nil otornlty for each H other? Could sho, or any ono olso, ba H Instrumental In bringing togothor two H persons whoso nlllnlty was a foregono H conclusion? Verily, sho hns hor ro- H All thoso things being truo, It Is H Btrnngo thnt tho matchmnkor oxlBts. LH It is to somo of us Incomprohonsiblo. H If Bho is happy horsolf, lot her thank H heaven nnd tnko courage to llvo out H hor own happy life, lotting tho powor H thnt shaped her destiny shapo othors. H If sho Ib wretched, let hor hcsltato n H long tlmo boforo pointing out to oth- H ors n pnthway In which mnny fall, H somo stumblo nnd few run. H Sho may recolvo tho approoiatiot H and thanks sho seeks In n bettor world H than this; sho soldom receives thorn 'H (Copyright, by Jonoph n. Bnwlca.) H |