Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-01
TWO pICrUREs OF SOCIETY,

TWO PICTURES OF soCtEEI,
Away from the influence Of cities or large
towns marriages are numerous and divorces
rarely heard Of In the rural districts,
where the woman is not ashamed to appear
ST church in her sun-bonnet or hood, nor the
Young husband Of carrying the baby at least
half way to the House Of God, there is no
necessity for indulging the soliloquy, be-
ginning with
"To we'd or not TO wed-shat II the question"
On the contrary, one can marry at any
time without reference TO circumstances,
provided he can find one Of the opposite
sex willing 10 couple her future with his.
Then. alse. he is certain TO find one chaste
as ice, and pure as snow, though warm
hearted, and the very personifcation OF
devotion. And when married he knows
he is married for certain, because divorces
are unheard of among the innocent, honest,
industrious denizens Of a plain, unaf-
fectcd. sensible, democratic community.
In such a region every man and every
woman works for living, and the children
20 TO school till old enough 10 be useful
Sther in the field, shop or kitchen. In such
communities the vigor and the virtue are
nursed that sustain the ages by keeping up
the wealth of the race. Ali can afford TO
marry when they please, because it costs no
more 70 live in wedlock than in single
cursedness. Each helps the other, and both
are equally valuable partners in the concern.
Generally the parents look out for small
farm for each SON, and little cabin, with a
few household and farming utensils and a
team are all they desire, all they need, and all
the Great God designed they should have
10 begin with Their industry Wa bring
everything else, and they can gather around
them the comforts and even the Injuries of
life, at their pleasure. They do not feel
above anybody who is honest, industrious
and virtuous. In short, such community
is the foreground Of Heaven ITSELF God
speed the day when such state of society
shall overspread the earth
Look on this picture, and then on that
a town grows up not far from this model
community. II grows TO three, five, elght,
ten thousand inhabitants. Society is di-
vided. Fashion steps in with all her fan
tastic phantasies, gaudy gew-gaws, hippant
fummeries and insipid inanities. No wo-
man works whose husband can support her
in idleness and every respectable young
man who marries must consider himself de-
graded unless he keeps his lady above work,
and supplies her with everything necessary
10 uDIQ Nu CQu8l DAdCC Ia Vic toobachoHAN
rank. Daughters are not brought up to
work. or 10 believe that they are ever TO be
degraded by the servitude Of labor. OF
course no respectable young man would
marry working girl, and if he should mar
~ n lady. he would be wretch unpardon-
ahle 10 expect anything like work from her.
What is the first result of this state of So
ciety? Filtration. OF course the do-nothing
darnsel must be busy at something, and what
remains but mischief? She fills her head
with the opposite sex, and firts away what
should be the purest years of her life. The
young men cannot afford to marry, and
having such occupations as leave them some
leisure time, they crafty these useless girls
with all the nonsense they are so capable Of
apprecisting. The influence Of this charm
ing society spreads itself over the country,
and the scene of true simplicity, honest in
dustry and heavenly felicity we have de-
scribed, is changed into an agony of imita-
ton. Little by little they put on the airs of
the town, for il is necessary to be respecta BILE
Go into q region far away from contact
with fashionable life, and sufficiently away
from market 10 prevent the acquisition OF
wealth enough TO corrupt them, and you
will fine marriages numerous and divorces
unknown. Then 60 into region including
large town, and marriages will be found to
be comparatively few, and divorces numer-
Gus. The Cleveland Leader, the other day,
reported twenty granted at a single session
offhe court in that city. Marriage is too
expensive luxury TO be hastily INDUCED,
many a wedlock is more a matter OF con-
.venience. or of conventional arrangement,
than ANYTHING else. The honeymoon is
scarcely passed before there is more or less
sif mutual disgust, and they begin TO cry out
for deiiverance from the hell into which
they have plunged,
The young wife, having nothing to do but
10 eat, and sleep, and dress, and enjoy socie-
Nv, win not Of course discard the continued
friendship Of the men with whom she former
~ fiirted- She continues to see them pri-
vately rs before, and now she finds that one
Of them she really loved, but 1t is too late.
4 dark cloud gathers over her spirit, and
while law, and custom, and pride, keep her
fstfered TO her fate, nature cries out for the
indulgence Of genuine love, and she surren-
ders. A few such miserubles rush TO the
court for relief and in some cases their hus-
bands find that they themselves have the best
OF reasons for asking divorce. Man takes
pleasure in the society Of a charming woman
and ssce versa. In the idle class those re-
straints 50 necessary TO virtue are thrown of,
and In many cases where the wife had been
satisfied with her partner for years, she has
finally found one who could draw more
largely upon her affection, and straightway
there Is fuss" in another family. Thus
Il Is that many city household is filled with
domestic misery, and the courts crowdedwith
applications for divorce.
II country people would let the manners
Of fashionable town life alone, they might
save themselves from many woes, many fol-
lies, many vices and some crimes. Marriage
might continue among them a holy institute
ton, enshrining the highest joys Of life. But
the evils above alluded 10, will continue 10
increase, until disgust, and knowledge, and
truth, shall revolutionixe society, and every
one shall scorn te live without rendering his
or her fair share Of service in return for
what they enjoy. Then they viii find no
time for folly, and then, when two unite in
wedlock, IL win be a natural and perpetual
union.