The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-01-21
TO MARRY OR NOT TO MARRY,

~ BE CONIlNU ED.
TO MARRY OR NOT TO MARRY.
"Corncllus O'Dowd," in a late num-
Der Of the Blackwood, discusses the
question Of marriage in pleasant way.
We Gull few passages:
"Is lite really life if one mus: pass it
on the tight-ropel Is existence worth
having, where it is eternally a matter
ct misunderstanding to this side, and
bending to tbatl
ut is proven that all persons have a
vocation for marriage, aud is conjugal-
ism per Sc certain to requitc those who,
to attain it, must divide between two
what they barely found sufficient for
one! These are simple questions
which We have no need Of a philosopher
to ask or answer for US. IF one were
simply to pronounce from what appears
on the surface of life-and it is very
hard to go dcepcr-we should sa- that
the people, especially the men, have
the best Of it. They are more in re-
quest among their friends, available for
more alterations, and keep longer young
than their married brethren.
"The double barrel.ed esotism Of
marriage spoils many a good fellow,
and destroys the charm Of many de-
lighsful woman. The firm, that terri
BILE partnership, crops up at every mo-
ment, and rouss that glorious spontanci.
ty, that delicious responsibility, we
once remembered.
pie who want to marry on what is a
puzzle to them to live siugly upon.
They must be moral, forsooth at the
cost Of reducing some unhappy girl to
drudgery, on the false pretcnce-for it
IS talse-ot loving her.
"'Why can't they let 1t alone?' as
the great master Of common sense SAID
Of less eventful contingency.
IL have met more pleasant and COM
panioaable people among the single
than the married but there is a can't
ing notion abroad that marriage is a
sort Of backbone for good behavior, and
80 the curate must be married. don't
know how far the theory goes, or
whether lady's shoemaker should
have wife, but I'm suro her coiffeur
ought.
IL hope We shall soon hear the last
OF this tlresome controversy; for if
any man wishes positively to ascertain,
from his personal experience, whether
it be safe to marry on 2lO0 per annum,
let him commit small misdemeanor in
Ireland and be sen: to Jail for three
months. If his constitution stands the
dietary-the seven ounces Of cruel and
pinch of barley per diem-be may
have bis bans published the day he
comes out, and certainly there will be
nothing In his absorbent system to in
tertere with his happiness.
"but it is mistake to suppose that
marriage is necessity, except to a
three>vo'ume novel. | am certain that
aver7 large humber of people are net
made for that species Of companion
ship. Mind, am not enamor:d of
Mormonism Or Spiritual. wifery, nor
have | the slightest sympathy with
Agspemocs. What I desire to insist
on is, that our prcseot.day civilization
inculcatcs conjugaiism too indiscrimi
nately, and takes most unjusti6abIc
means to support its position. One Of
these, and the least commendablc IF al,
is to disparage those who arc called old
maids. 1 HAYS seen many timid rid.
er in hunting-6cld, jeersd into riding
fence that cost him 'cropoer;' and
am convinced that many women are
driven into marriage to escape The oh.
loquy and sarcasm of belonging to that
maligned category.
"lt il no exaggcrat'on to say 'lnal;gn.
ed, ! would ask any one who has
cen: much Of lIc-who has, to say been
man of the world, watching its ways
and studying its doings-I would ask
him, has he ever met in any section Of
: humanity, greater kindness, gentle
ness, and patience than anon, these
same,old maids? Where has he found
more hearty, genial, generous natures
Where sound views Of life diyigurcd
BY fewer prejudices? v her. more
thorough charity in discussing the mo.
tives? Where, in one word, less Of
those very attributes by which it has
please1.tho world to characterize this
class Il is no part of my: task to call
witnesses TO what I say; but one will
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