The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1873-02-26
True Marriage.

True marriage is companionship, and
with the termination of companionship
veritable divorce begins. Wedlock, as
generally seen, is a cumbersome vol
ume, with a sweet prelude of verse
followed by tedious chapters of awk-
wardly constructed prose. The poem
represents companionship, and the sub
sequent part is withdrawal If the
companionship could but be preserved,
each month would prove a honeymoon
| discOrds, chickering's, and misunder-
standings would diminish rather than
increase, because the action of contact
wears off angles sand adjusts uneven
surfaces to one another. Men would
not sulk women would not regret nor
would. both turn to the past with the
unavailing wish to undo the present.
Their burdens would be lighter by the
sharing of them; and their dis
contents be softened by sympa-
thetic unfolding. Their ways might
be dark and devious; but the con-
seriousness that they should walk,
where'er they went, closely and tender
ly together, would shed such light upon
their pathway that the darkness would
be dispelled and the deviousness made
straight. 1t is never too late to resume
companionship-would that they who
need it most might remember this =
and yet they who have surrendered it
rarely look for it again. When they
step apart, the slightest channel of
their separation broadens and deepens,
until what was a crevice becomes a
yawning chasm, which few have the
strength or courage to leap. If they
would but stretch their yearning arms
across, wounded faith, broken affection,
bruised tenderness could pass over the
natural bridge and be made whole once
more by receiving back what had been
their own, and must soon again be nat
urally possessed. But companionship
of the married is only portion of that
which is needful Were there more
companionship preceding marriage,
there would be less disharmony and
miseonception after it. How can men
and women, who have been sedulously
kept apart during early years, expect to
dwell in concord and happiness in their
maturity? Where is the miracle that
can convert ignorance into understand
ing, and strangeness into sympathy?
They whose destiny is common, whose
history is written in the same chapters,
whose veal and woe are inseparable,
should be reared together; so far as
practicable, measured and counterbal-
anced one with the other. The segre-
CATION of the sexes is unnatural and un-
wholesome has the taint of monkish
superstition, and yields too often nox-
ious fruit. What can be more absurd
and mischievous than our common mode
of education As soon as boys and
girl learn they are such, they are sepa-
rated, as if they were wolves and
lambs, and every effort is made by ped
agogy toward their mutual alienation.
Assidious training at school and at
home does what 1t can to render them
enemies, and, after long slumbering.
the old enemy often breaks out in CON
nubial relations, and refuses to be
placated. Nothing but the inherent
and inextinguishable attraction between
man and woman thwarts the purpose of
false discipline and pernicious tuition.
As the bud opens to the sun, as the
tides obey the moon, we sentiment be-
ings seek our mates and recognize them
by instinct. --,I,fnists Heart Bro,Uae.