The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-07-12
Marriage vs. Single Life.
by EDNA,

1
life. Ills q natural feeling pervading
each mortal breast. All mankind are
engaged in the pursuit Of it, and by
divers ways endeavor to seek and
find it. There are different fields in
which happiness may be attained;
but all point to domestic life as the
goal of earthly bliss and JOY. This
condition of felicity is only to be
found in the married state.
To establish and maintain that the
marriage life is happier than the sin
gle, it is only necessary to open the
pages of.sacred history, and therein
we will find that marriage is an or
dinance of God, decreed for the ben
eft, the comfort and the happiness
of the human race. All the glories,
beauties and joys Of Paradise were
not complete until ma1 was given
companion, counselor and helpmate
IN the person of one made of rib
taken from his own body. It is; not
good for man to live alone" are the
words of Omnipotence, and they find
an echo in the breast Of every man
that is not blinded by ignorance and
prejudice. "It is not good that man
\ shall live alone" in this vast world
, without some gentler, lovlier, purer
f being to soften the asperities of life,
: to participate in his joys and to sym
pathize in his sorrows. How beauti-
fully is this expressed by the poet
Campbell, in his matchless "Pleas-
ures of Hope
: The world was sad, the garden was wild,
] And nan, the hermit, sighed till woman
smiled.
If there were no women in the
@ world, let Imagination attempt to
e pity tho sad and deplorable state
c of nsculinity. Life would not be
e worth living for, happiness but Vi
sion, and all that make earth beauti-
: full and lovely would be wanting.
= That the marriage state is far hap
: pier than the single is attested and
= proven by the universally of matri-
' mony. We venture to assert that
,. few men OF women have of their own
r free will chose single life. Some dis
: appointment, some untoward event,
h has compelled them to select sin
c gle existence.
e Mankind would not be so univer-
l. sally lead into this state, as they are
if they did not think and know that q
d greater degree of contentment and
happiness was to be found therein
than in single state.
q Why is it that the young man sc
:. willingly gives up his gay associates
a his youthful pleasures, dissipating
4 follies and delightful enjoyments,and
5 with joyous feelings and buoyani
If hopes enters the married state?
s Simply and solely because he is
e convinced that greater degree 0:
e happiness is to be found therein thar
y in imaginary ''single bliss" It is moi
y SO much the desire Of gaining wealth
or ascending the ladder of fame thai
Il animates the breast of youth as it i.
If the desire of winning some fair ont
= upon whom his hearts affection cen
k tres and thus crown his future hap
re piness in life. This bright hope en-
d tiers into and aspires his every action
p is present with him enid the tur
N moils and struggles for success, ant
&c is mingled in all his plans and de
- signs.
In order to substantiate clearl,
S that the marriage state is happie
J. than the single, let us contrast th
10 two. Cowper in his Task has truth
2 fully said that
w Domestic happiness (is) tho only bliss
y Of Paradise that has survived the fall"
40 Anxieties and cares pervade tn
L. human breast. It is the nature G
le man since sin entered the world; bu
III we contend that in the marriag
Il state there is to be found solace TO
ne all mans woes-incomparable with
~ single state.
81 The married man, after the toll
~ and cares Of the day, returns TO
VI cheerful home and is gladdened b
a' all the comforts and delights of dc
'eS nestle life. He is met by joyou
OIL children who, with gleeful voices
IL welcome home. their sire, chasin
~ away all harrassing thoughts, an
de is soothed by an affectionate wifi
Hn and amid the felicity of such seen
he all his trials are sweetened and mad
~, smooth, and he goes forth again
ad the battle OF life with an energy an
Sc; a will to perform the duties that i