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Show Must Import Marriageable Girls. The problem of finding wives has become a serious one in St. Petersburg. Peters-burg. The male population exceeds the female. by 124,000 In tho Russian capital, and the authorities are weighing weigh-ing plans for Importing prospective brides from the provinces. The need of wives. Indeed, has led to the making ma-king of several fortunes in matrimonial matrimoni-al agencies, heavy fees being exacted for pretty girls as wives from remote country places. The men outnumber the women la all classes in St. Peters- Durg, ana at social affairs there are usually two men for every woman. Of course this is a truly delightful sltu-atlon sltu-atlon for the woman, but it is one that la multiplying jealousies between men and causing "affairs" with swords and pistols upon the field of honor. Social , activities in St. Petersburg have been declining in Interest 'because of the scarcity of women, whereas in all the other large cities in the empire women wom-en are much more numerous than men. , |