Page 5 Advertisements Column 1

NZ Truth, Issue 161, 18 July 1908, Page 5

She, like many of the LADIES ON THE LIST, | hesitates to give exact particulars of her own age, though able to specify definitely what the sought-for partner's qualifications are to be. Ope, of them, who wants a "broad-built and, rather stout" husband between;, 50; 60 years of age, with an income of £50,0 to a-dd to her own ; i modest competence of £30,0 per annum, which at present keeps her and her only daughter thus expresses her longings : — . lam desirous qf being introduced to a gentleman with a -View to eafly marriage. The house i reside m is my own, and faces .■-■'■_—., a very pretty outlook m sumnier. I should like him to drive, as I am very fond of horses and dogs, and be fond of hoihe. Moderate m wine and smoke. Would dp all I could to, mako our lives happy." She is typical of a large percentage pt the lady customers at the matrimonial shpß, though she rubs elbows with many servant girls on the look-out for eligijbla young mfen. Taken ip the bulk, . the feminine bargains really on Mr Radford's books as clients do not fulfil the expect-. ; at ions excited by a study of the " shop ■ window ; the majority qf them would, 1 . fancy, be described as MATRIMONIAL HARD BARGAINS, and' likely to remain on their agents' shelves for an indefinite period, growing every year a little more mjlttewed, a little more faded, so that nq amount of gilding will make them attractive. 1. ' have seen a number of their photographs, and "sweet and twenty" is conspicuous j only by her absence. To sum up, I have • no doubt that marriages are i* t.ue m Mr Radford's matrimonial shop. There used to be a belief that they were made m heaven. But anyone who gges to Mr Radford, cherishing .that pretty early Victorian fancy, will be speedily, disillusioned, for at its best the modem mat^ . limonial bureau is a somewhat shabby . heaven. Yet what can one expect of a heaven where, anyone can enter on payment of a ten-guinea entrance fee ?