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In Search Of A Husband

In Search Of A Husband image
Parent Issue
Day
21
Month
December
Year
1888
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Leap year is uearly over and a number of young ladies, aud some not so young, liave been making the most of their time in writiug to Mr. James L. Babcock, of this city, who is dailv in receipt of letters from all over the country. O ur readers need not be remiiided of the reason, as the newspapers of the country have all contained the peculiar provisions of Mr. Luther James' will, bequeathing a very large sum of money to Mr. BabcocK, conditioned ou his marrying. The result bas been theie are hundredsof applications forMr. Babcock 's hand. One letter received a day or two ago had on a special delivery stamp whicli the writer explained she had placed there for fear Mr. Babcock might accept an offer of marriage before the letter reached him. She evidently didn't want to get left. This indicates the spirit in which these letters are writteu, The newspapers have been giving Mr. Babcock fiattering notices, as witness the foüowing from the Aurora, lll.,beacon; "Many of ur old residents will remember James L. Babcock, who clerke('forMr. D. YV. Stockwell about uiteen years ago. James was a modest, diffident. retiring young man of about twenty-five suminersaud as many winters, p.nd sold ribbons and laces and dress goods aud all mannerof dry goods store supplies quietly aud without ostentation. Heattended the first Baptist church and Sunday school regularly and after a few years of service in Mr. 8tockwell's employ, he accounpanied his parents to Chicago andtook up his abode in the '-Garden City." The letters received by Mr. Babcock are in both English and Germán, some of the Germán papers having published the strange condition Mr. James tached to the legacy. Many endose pbotogiaphs, others request his photograpli iirst. Some protest Uiat tliey don't know vvhether tbey want to marry or not. Others propose boklly and urge their qualification. One Illinois gin writes that she is nineteeu. Perhaps he ivillthink that too young, if so she knovvs of some oJder ladies who need husbands and perhaps she can secure hitn one. lf he does like nineteen, wou Id he please send her his photograph so she could naake up her mind. She concludes by syrapathiziug vvith him over the load of letters he receives, and if she likes his photograph she will send him onéf herself. A Detroit widow of thirty-five wants to marry him badly. She says she is handsome and has three children but has arranged with her parents to take the children in case Mr. Babcock wouldn't like them. Probably he remenibers the advice to Samuel Weller, "Beware of the widders," for the widow's letter is unanswered. Some of the writers describe themselves as very beautiful. One Waukesha, Wisconsin' music teacher says that she bears a stiiking resemblance to Mrs. Grover Cleveland. Other writers don't consider beauty their strong point bnt seem to relv upon their goodness. The Southern giils seem to be more impetuous than the nortbera. Some appear to be already deeply in love and give vent to their love in their letters. They are for marrying right off. The northern girls on the contrary generally beat around the bush, want his photograpb, want to begin correspondence with him and perhaps they may conclude to marry, &c. One Exeter, New Hampshire young lawyer writes to request the names of the young ladies who have written to Mr. Babcock on the plea that he himself wants a good wife. Perhaps he wants to pose as Mr. Babcpck and an heir to a fortune and secure a wife on that pretenso . The letters and photographs are filed away in pigeon holes. Leap year is nearly over. Will the suppiy of proposals lessen?

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News