Money and Matrimony



"Can a man marry on twinty-five dollars?" asked Mr. Dooley.

"He can if he can get th' money," said Mr. Hennessy.

"Well, sir," said Mr. Dooley; "here's a judge on th' binch says
twinty-five dollars is as much as a man needs to enther th' sacred
bonds--twinty-five dollars beside th' nerve, an' he has to have
that annyhow. Th' pa-apers has took it up an' some is f'r it an'
some is again' it. A few iditors believes it can be done on less;
others thinks it can't be done undher thirty at th' outside. A
larned lawyer says that a man who wud lure a young girl away fr'm
her music lessons whin if she asked him f'r twinty-six dollars
he'd have to signal f'r help, is nawthin' short iv a crim'nal.
Nearly all th' ladin' acthresses in th' counthry has been interviewed
an' they say that if marrid at all they cud not see their way clear
f'r less thin a millyion iv money. They think th' judge meant a
divoorce. Lookin' over th' argymints pro an' con, Hinnissy, I
come to th' conclusion that th' judge is wrong an' times has changed.

"Whin I was a boy all a man needed was a little encouragement fr'm
th' fam'ly, an account with a liveryman an' a small pull with th'
parish priest an' there he was. 'Twas well if he had a job too