WOE TO THE UNEWDDED

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8791, 18 January 1897, Page 4

WOE TO THE UNEWDDED

A long talked of persecution bas began. The Argentine Republic is about to introduce a series of laws whioh ipare neither youth nor age, and whioh are meant to populate the land to overflowing, unlus they ■uooeed in turning it into a deathly wilderness. 0 tuie 1 runs 4a follows : "On tnd after the Ist of January, 1897, every male from the -age of 20 to 80 ehall pay a tax till he marries, and shall pay it once in every month." Imagine thii. For golden youbh and ■ilver age no esoape and no statute of limitation. The bachelor boy, the •eliba'e weighty in years, the widower rejoicing in bit release, will all be hurried to a common doom. And in Argentine no woman — no, nor man either— may be fickle, coy, or hard to please. Let vi hear olause II: " Toung celibatea of either sex who shall without legitimate motive reject the addresses erf him or her (ladies propoie in Argentine) who may aspire to hit or her hind, and who continue contumaceously unmarried, shall p*y (he sum of 500 piasters for the benefit of the yonng person, man or woman, who bas been bo refused." Argentina, as M. Fianciaque Sarcey points out, will be the Utopia of the ugly. Howaver bard the road may be to others, the plain m«n shall not err if he walks therein. " Mad«m, or sir, I desire the honor of your hand. What ! You refuse me because of ray facial defects? Then 500 piastres, if you pltase."

Teacher : "Ifaperaonis eighteen years old today, how old will that person be ten yeara hence V Bright Boy : ** Please, air, is that person a gun or % woman V .^