Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-11-20
To Marry or Not to Marry.



THE QUESTION HUMoRousLy CONSIDERED.
|~csrosIius o'Dowd = il s6 The ss Bs~ hum. !.
Der Of Blackwood, discusses the question
Of marriage in pleasant way. We call a
few passages:
ais life really life, If one must pass il
on the tight rope? Is existence worth
having when it is eternally question Of
baiancing-swaying to this side, and
bending to that?
us it proven that all people have . vo-
cation for marriage, and is conjugalism
per Sc certain to require those who attain
it, must divide between two what they had
already found barely sufficient for one?
These are simple questions which we have
no need Of philosopher either to ask or
to answer for us. If one were simply TO
pronounce it from what appears on the
surface of life-and it is hard to 90 deep
er-we should say that the single people,
especially the men, have the best of it.
They are the more in request among their
friends-available for more attentions, and
keep longer young than do their married
brethren.
The double barreled egotism of mar
riage spoils many good fellow, and de-
stroys the charm of maDy delightful wo-
man. The firm, that terrible partners hip,
crops up at every moment, aud routs that
glorious spontaneity. that delicious ire
sPonsibility, we once remembered.
II have no patience with those people
who want to marry on what it is puzzle
10 them to live single upon. They must
be moral, forsoothl at the cost of reducing
some unhappy girl to drudeery on the
false pretense-for it is false-of loving
her.
"Why can't they let it slone?" as the
great master of common sense said of q
less eventiul contingency.
III have met more pleasant aud compan-
ionable people among the single than the
married; but there is canting notion
abroad that marriage is a sort of back bone
for good behavior and so the curate must
be married, aud the doctor ought to be
married, don't know how far the theory
goes, or whether a lsdy's shoe ker
should have a wife, but l am sure that
her coifeur ought.
II hope we shall soon hear the last OF
this tiresome controversy. for, if any man
wishes positively to ascertain, from his
personal experience, whether il be safe to
marry an fi00 per rannum. let him commit
small misdcmeaDor in ireland, and be
sent to jail for three months. IL bis con
stitution stands the dietary seven
ounces Of cruel and pinch OF barley per
diem-he may have his bands published
the day he comes out, and My there
will be nothing 10 his absorbent system to
interfere with his happiness.
But IL is mistake to suppose that
marriage is necessity except to three
volume novel. l am certain that a very
large number Of people are not made for
that species Of companionship. Mind, |
am not enamored of Mormouism, spiritual
wiiery, nor have | the slightest sympathy
with Agapemones. What | desire TO in
sist on is, that our present day civilization n
inculcates conjugaism too indiscrimstely
and takes most unjustiRable means TO sup.
port its position. One Of these, and the
least commendable Of all, Is TO disparsge
those who are called old maids. / have
seen many timid rider in q hunting field
jeered into riding at fence that cost him
q 'cropper;' aud am convinced that man y
women are driven into marriage to escape
the obloquy and sarcasm Of belonging TO
that maligned category.
ut Is no exaggeration 10 say 'maligned.
! would ask any Que who has seen much
OF liie-who has, so 10 say, been q man oi
the world, watching its ways. aud study
ings its doings-I would ask OF him, has
he ever met IN any section Of humanity
greater kindness, gentleness aud patience
than among these Same old maids? Where
has be found more hearty, genial, gener-
Gus natures2 where sounder views Of life
dis6gnred by fewor prejudices? where more
charity IN discussing the motives? where,
10 one word, less OF those very attributes
by which IL has pleased the world IL
characterize this class2
at is no part Of my work TO call wit
nesses TO what say; but one | will cite
because she so eminently represented all
have so feebly attempted to picture; aud il
her genius might seem 10 ouishine the
luster OF her personal qualities, IL Is only
TO those who had not the happiness--apd
IL was happiness-of her intimscy. am
talking Of Miss EdgoworIb, aud II is we'll
worth all the weight Of the years 1t obli-
ges TO have met and known her.
'I will not affirm that marriage could
have spoiled such u nature, but will say
IL could not have bettered IT, Nor IL II =
small part Of the matter that at eighty she
was The guiding spirit. tho delight aud
the charm Of that family which derived
glory from her name aud happiness from
her presence.
"ls IL class which Numbers Miss Edge.
worth and Miss Nightingale among IL,
members, that women need shame ,O be-
longy
III have done. l will only add that In
stead Of heaping ridicule on the condition
of unmarried women, aud out Of sheer de.
oision, driving them TO accept anybody
asyihing-as husbands, let US accord
them ell the Difference and regard We be.
stow on others; aud lot us not forget, Ia
the presence Of some old maid whose
qualities Of mind and heart have 90 charm