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of ahey Matchmaker Laura Jean Libbey a long white wand, wound with dowers and tasseled by two hearts of crimson felt, and wears a crimson stocking on his right leg and a purple one on his left. It is his business to introduce the young swain in as romantic. and lovely a way as possible. After a few minutes of parley together the youth leads his sweetheart into another room. There they talk alone, making a betrothal acquaintance, as they say, in Brittany.

No matter bow- long they linger over this pleasant tete-a-tete, nobody can interrupt them, not even the matchmaker. Toward sunset the young people come out and join their elders. They do not blusb or act flustered, for they are sure nobody will ask them what they have been saying or doing. The white bread is broken by the father, blessed by the mother, and a toast is drunk to them by the matchmaker. It is his business to see that the lovers eat from one plate, drink from one cup, and even use one knife and fork.

This means that their union will be consummated happily. Hardly a day passes but they stop at the tailor's door to tell him their courtship is going on famously and that he is a wise man to match people who are so well suited to each other. Occasionally he is invited to the girl's house to take tea with the family. He plays his next important role when the ante-nuptial contract is made. He is present to tee that no errors are made in the contract.

If everything goes off smoothly he is often given a second gift by the happy couple. How Cupid Works in Ireland. the happy-go-lucky Irish leave all the preliminaries to professional matchmakers, who are well versed in affairs of the heart. These successful matchmakers are 440) HE American girl believes in Oupid as a matchmaker. Although this part imp, part boy, often leads young lovers into embarrassing positions, queer ways, and strange vagaries, he usually manages to finally' straighten out the comedy of errors.

Lovers are brought together, in different ways in all parts of the world. If it is not a ally, merry Cupid, it is some more prosaic matchmaker who helps bring courtships to a happy conclusion. In Germany, France, Italy, and most of the European countries, the gobetweens or matchmakers are the parents, friends, or relatives of the young couple. While in Russia and most oriental countries, Cupid's assistants are men and women whose business it is to find out the social standing, qualities, and wealth of the young people, and to match them up ns evenly as possible. In France the su-between or matchmaker plays an important part in seeing that girls are happily wooed and won.

For if there i is any country where bachelor girls are not popular, it is in France. French girls of the better classes see little of men until they are grown. Their days are spent in studying, reading the classics, learning art and music, going to classes and attending lectures. They would never 'dream of asking their mothers to let them go to parties or to theaters with boys. Their circle of boy friends is generally limited to their own brothers and cousins.

This continues until a girl is 17 of 18. when she throws her school books aside and is ready to make ber debut at a ball given by her parents or some friends. Women Best Matchmakers. Her parents and friends know that the time has come for her to think of something more serious than balls and parties, and so they get some friend or near relative to bring these young people together. Sometimes the between is man, but more often a woman, because the French people believe their women are the most successful matchmakers.

The matchmaker first finds out what kind of A young man will be most pleasing to the girl, or better still, to her parents. With a woman's intuition she knows that every girl wants a man who, if not handsome, is interesting looking at least. He must be of good family, and though be need not be rich, he should have enough to give her the comforts and some few of the luxuries. Then she obtains a list of the girl's friends, unless she already knows them by heart. But before these matters can be thought of and arranged other questions must be settled, such as what is the young lady going to receive as' her wedding portion? Will it be 10,000 or 100,000 francs? And does she expect to maintain a pretentious home in Paris, or is she willing to have a modest home at one of the pretty suburbs? After the matchmaker gets this information from the parents she calls at the homes of all her friends who have marriageable sons.

There she suggests to the parents, and sometimes to the young man himself, that she knows just the right kind of a girl for him. It is high time that he thinks of settling down. Girl Worth. Considering. The young man and his parents are soon agreed that this lovely girl is worth while considering as a possible wife and daughterIn-law.

'The matchmaker soon arranges for them to meet. She invites them, with the young lady and her parents, to tea at one of the fashionable restaurants, or at her own home. Meeting after meeting is soon arranged by the parents of the girl and the young man. After they have met half a dozen times the young man has sufficient courage to approach his future father-in-law with a proposal of marriage. If there are no objections the affair is 'soon settled and then he goes to the girl, telling her how much he loves her, as though he bad known her and loved her a lifetime.

Ing long trousers. He knows they are honest men, and besides having many sterling qualities they are excellent business men. Though they both began as sons of poor fishermen they worked hard and now own a number of fishing vessels. They can make a good living for themselves and for thrifty and honest wives. The matchmaker knows one girl who is just suited for either one, but he wishes he could find another just like her for the other young man.

Then a lively and interesting conversation ensties as to which is the better match. It is chiefly a dialogue carried on by the matchmaker and the girl's mother. All the young girl has to do is to -listen attentively and to know at the end of thy conversation if she is to be for Eduard or Henri. In less than an hour the matchmaker goes away radiantly happy. satisfied that he has driven such an excellent bargain, for he is to be well rewarded by the young lover, as well A8 by his future mother-in-law.

When the father comes home that evening he is welcomed with the bit of news. Of course, it he objects the courtship can not go any further, but as a general thing if his wife approves he acquiesces. If the parents agree to the match a day is appointed on which the youth may formally visit the girl and commence his ardent courtship. Make Betrothal Acquaintance. On this important event be is usually accompanied by his friend the tailor, who instruets his candidate to begin the courtship by appearing in a new suit which the tailor has made for the occasion.

Ile has instructed the girl's mother to get her daughter a pretty new frock, the dress to be made by, the tailor's wife, if he has one, or by some. other dressmaker, who often happens to be the sister or some near relative of the matchmaker. If the tailor wishes to make this important event known in the town be appears carrying called cosherers, and in short they are nothing more nor less than successful vagabonds. They spend their time wandering from door to, door and from village to village, finding out who are the most eligible young men and girls, and studying how they can mate them most advantageously. The matchmaker, who is usually a woman, is always hospitably treated by the women with marriageable daughters, so she need never worry about finding board and lodging wherever she goes.

When she is not busy arranging matches she spends her time knitting, sewing, reading, and gossiping about the courtships she has refused to bring to a happy ending because they would not pay her her price. Occasionally a man takes up this calling, but men are usually less successful in matchmaking than are women. Turkish women are of the opinion that girls have not fulfilled their natural destiny until they are married. They would rather see a daughter dead than to have her remain a spinster all her days. They consider courtship culminating in marriage the most important event in a woman's life.

They have almost as little use for bachelors, nnd if a man reaches a marriageable age and is slow about finding A suitable wife his mother hastens matters along by helping him find one. She does not undertake this task alone, but calla to her assistance a professional matchmaker. There are many women in Turkey who make good livings by devoting all their time to helping mothers find suitable sons-in-law and daughters-In-law. They are so industrious and enterprising that after they have looked through the harems without finding the right girl they go to the schools where the prettiest girls from the best families are found. Laura Jcan Libbey I The same kind of courtship exists in Germany and Italy, except that the gobetween is usually a distant relative.

In Italy a courtship must be arranged; a romantic wooing is unknown except among the rustics. In no other country are giris brought up so properly as in Italy. They are trained to keep their eyes on flowers and books--anywhere except to fix their gaze on young men. Seeking Eligible Young Man. This secluded life would last forever, limited to a girl's family and her most intimate girl friends, were it not for some uncle or cousin, who feels that this girl is wasting her youth and beauty, and so he is determined to help her along.

After talking to the girl's relatives and suggesting that it is time for Margaret or Anna to have a home, and manage her own household, he starts out to find some suitable man for his pretty cousin or niece. He. looks among his own circle of friends for the most eligible: young man. It does not take long to find several good candidates, for young Italian men are romantic, and are happiest when courting or fighting for their country. The affair is soon settled.

They are to meet Anna or Margaret the following evening, and they are as thusiastic and excited as when Romeo first set eyes. on his beautiful Juliette. The between sometimes 'arranges for this meeting at the home of the girl's parents, but he usually wants something more picturesque and romantic. He prefers a masque ball, where they will meet quite by chance and be. given 'an opportunity to flirt and coquette with each other.

Three or four months elapse before their marriage, giving them a chance to become acquainted, and though it is not always love at first sight, the Italian temperament is so romantic that they are both madly in love by the time they go to the registrar's office to draw up the contract. In the lower part of Brittany the village tailor is often entrusted with the important task of arranging marriages. Tailor the Matchmaker. If the village is only large enough to support one first class tailor the business of matchmaker is usually a lively and profitable one. He is recognized as the confidant, the aider and abettor of the would-be bridegroom, and he approaches the prospective bride and her parents in a tactful and usually successful manner.

He tells them -that Eduard and Henri have been coming to his shop for the last twenty years, ever since they began wear- The Turkish mother is so persistent that she will keep this search up for days, until she finds the girl she wants for her son. Turkish Mother Persistent. The bridegroom then looks her over for the fret time, and if he is pleased he profusely thanks his mother and the matchmaker, for their excellent taste and judgment. Then he sends her, accompanied by the matchmaker, back to the women's apartments, where the women are busy inspecting her trousseau. The matchmaker is a very important person at this moment, for it is her business to impress on the guests the cost of all the articles found in the 'trousseau.

Then the bridegroom comes in and the matchmaker lifts the She spreads it on the floor for the husband to kneel on while he offers up a prayer. The bride meanwhile stands on the edge of the veil behind the bridegroom. Then the matchmaker shows: them 8 mirror while she knocks their beads together 80 that their images may appear united. At last she has done her duty and played her part. Then she retires, after making sure of her pay, and as much food and sweets as she can possibly eat.

When she does not receive what she considers a just compensation she gets even by carrying off enough food and sweets to last for a week. In modern Egypt a young man bas little chance to see a girl and to court her. Therefore, if he wants to marry there is only one thing for him to do, and that is to employ a professional matchmaker. He. sends for one and gives her full instructions as to the kind of girl be wants for his wife.

He goes over the matter carefully, taking account of size, weight, color of the hair and eyes, and is very particular about the disposition..