SOCIETY. 147 



orally joined in their belief that his love was based on her probable wealth, and the poor girl 



woiil.l so ,i, I,,- mailr to fiM-1 tin- <liH-i-!ice between a rich hriile and a poor one. Lut-kil . 

 IH-I-, ft reconciliation with tin- family took place a frxv months aflrrxvardn. 



In tin- rust., ins of matrimonial management at Santiago, though totally unlike the first, the 

 other case was scarcely less remarkable. Visiting at tin- hoiine of an acquaintance a month or 

 two after our arrival, my attention was called \>y the mother to her eldest daughter a tall, 

 robust, and blooming girl, with hair en papillotte about a face half Iberian and half Hibernian, 

 who was just entering the room ; the mother closing her remark by adding : " Y todavia 

 no es muger;" from which only one inference was to be drawn. Returning from a short visit to 

 Valparaiso three or four months later, one of the first items of social intelligence related to me 

 was, that a marriage was to take place immediately between a most esteemed gentleman and 

 this very young lady; the story being somewhat as follows: The moment she was a woman, 

 her mother, anxious to have her settled and out of the way of the nine or ten younger daughters 

 already around, to say nothing of a like number whom she yet expected to place in the circle, 

 at once projected a match with her own husband's brother,* an older man than her " liege- 

 lord," and one in every way distasteful to the daughter. As the young lady had had neither 

 opportunity to make conquests for herself, nor even time to attract visitors to the house, he was 

 probably the only person who was immediately available. Matters were supposed to be drawing 

 to a close, and the wedding was to have taken place within a day or two, when the gentleman 

 previously alluded to called to make an early visit to the family. Finding the young lady in the 

 parlor, sad and in tears, instead of sending for the mother as custom required him to do, he 

 took a seat beside her to inquire into the cause of her grief and offer sympathy. Lamentations 

 most bitter, at the cruel marriage the family were forcing her into, came thick and fast to the 

 only listener who had approached her since the hated alliance had been made known to her. 

 Whilst she poured out her troubles, his mind was not less active; and she had scarcely ceased 

 when he asked: " Would you rather marry me than your uncle?" According to the account, 

 this startling and unexpected question flashed a ray of light and hope into the darkened chamber 

 of her soul, which increased to full illumination before the close of the day; and ere the week 

 expired they were man and wife herself scarce fourteen, he not many days short of fifty years 

 of age ! Nevertheless, as things are in Chile, he will certainly make her a good husband, for 

 all the disparity. 



The only marriage at which I had the privilege to assist was quite a private affair, and perhaps 

 may scarcely serve as a proper example by which to judge of the ceremony. Presenting myself 

 at the house of the mother of the bride punctually at the designated hour, I found that the 

 centre-table had been removed from the principal saloon ; its piano placed across one end, so as 

 to occupy the least space ; and the room, ornamented with vases of superb natural flowers, very 

 brightly lighted. This room was filled with ladies, or rather, as is usual at gatherings, they 

 were seated around three of its sides ; from fifteen to twenty gentlemen occupying the other 

 parlor. They were all either immediate connexions of the family, or intimate fellow-countrymen 

 of the groom ; one other gentleman besides myself being the only exceptions. He had acted as 

 groomsman when the mother of the bride was first married. Neither the bridesmaid, (heaven 

 save the mark!) the groomsman, nor the clergyman had yet arrived. The (intended) bride, 

 arrayed in white, and wearing a single camelia in her hair, occupied one corner of the sofa, 

 half muffled in a fur cape, as it was winter a son, some eight years old, being presumptive 

 evidence that she was "out of her teens." The groom in prospective, whom every one had set 

 down as on the wrong side of thirty-eight, walked among his friends calm as a summer morning, 

 a white vest only designating him as in party costume. Nor was the bride much more excited 

 by the coming ceremony, if one could judge by the steadiness of her voice. The rest of the 



* Marriages within these degrees of consauguiuity are nut uncommon. They require a dispensation from the archbishop ; but 

 dollars will readily obtain that. We might almost as well marry our sisters at once. 



