Mail-Order Bride
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July 9, 2024In the mid 1990's, for those too naïve to know better, on-line dating appeared to be a revolutionary and novel concept. It seemed to take the love-seeker's world by storm when the internet hit its stride. But seeking matrimony, if not love, by correspondence is far from a modern concept and it certainly predates our legendary mail-order brides of the post Civil War, American West.
According to Becky Little, writing for The History Channel, the early Virginia colony was faced with a growth and permanence challenge due to the lack of women. The colony placed ads to attract brides, and pay passage to Jamestown, to marry its bachelors. These daring women later became known as “The Tobacco Brides”. The Jamestown brides program attracted 90 women who came over in 1620 and another 56 who came over in late 1621 and early 1622.
This Morgan Weistling painting inspired this poem when I saw just a touch of apprehension in this young lady's face. What courage these young women had in coming to the untamed West, far from the civility and comforts of eastern cities. Would her suitor be a beast and a brute or an understanding, gentle man?
He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.
Prov. 18:22
Mail-Order Bride
A man caring, able and strong
Would enable her to grow love
He must high-value right and wrong
She was tender and so refined
But her hands had known some rough work
As I clasped them gently in mine
Meanin' she’d not be one to shirk
I smiled and beamed just like a boy
Hoped I was still showin' manhood
She said, "You look 'bout as described
But some taller which I find good"
We shared a meal at the café
'Pleased me her healthy appetite
I soft-asked how she felt so far
She smiled sayin’, "Relieved and right."
by Rik Goodell
© 2024 All rights reserved
This Morgan Weistling painting is bursting with a story, one that I had to write. To see more of his work, visit his website:
https://www.morganweistling.com
"The Stagecoach", by Morgan Weistling
