In the early 1900s , meeting someone through a paper personal ad enjoyed a brief period of semi - respectability — specially in the West , where your burgeoning footling townspeople may not have evenhadany eligible citizenry of the opposite sex . Rural lifespan was hard , almost indefensible without a helpmate .
The ads , accordingly , were short and direct . Love was never mentioned . “ suitableness ” was the characteristic that count . Yet among these stark requests for partnership , foreign variants could go on . Here are some versions of them .
Missed Connections and Fantastic Haircuts
Here we see two examples of the sweetest of meet - cutes , the lost opportunity on the streetcar . Except one is really shill for a Samuel Barber , and quite clumsily at that . essay and opine which !
Wanted: Servant
First , clean my sign of the zodiac and charge my papers . Do a good job and you ’re hir … my everlasting true honey .
Points for Honesty?
Most writers of personals made themselves voice like wealthy young sophisticates who were take time off from their European opulence cruise to jot down the ad . But now and then there was a person was n’t shy about who he was and what he wanted . On medium , what he desire was a young hardy lass who works like a scuff on the ranch she also possess . Here ’s hop they had right chance with that .
Just Get Me Out of Here
These ads implore to tell apart narration of scandal and loss that we will never know .
True Love, On Sale Now
In these ads , the men specifically want to do byplay with alady . They apparently think them easier stain ; more potential to hand over money to a “ gentleman ” who could fling a trivial woo . Sure I love you , my sweet . Just make that find out out to “ Johnny Cash . ”
Nothing Suspicious Here
Of course men could be easy marks too , if you knew what to proffer . Who could have imagine how many beautiful , slavish women were out there , begging rugged Oregonian men to take their money and give their life meaning ? And that the best way to do that would be through a 7 cent personal ad ?
Won’t Get Burned Again
And my very favorite , the gentleman who will have no truck with waitresses or shooting veranda shop clerk . It sounds like he ’s speak from the side of experience . Painful , unspeakable experience .
See Also:7 Tips for Keeping Your Man ( in the 1950s )
- Personal advert are fromThe Oregoniannewspaper , from between 1901 and 1909 .
