Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-04-18
TRUE nj "A RRiAGE.

True marriage is conlpanionshlp, ana
with the termination Of companionship
veritable divorce begins. Wedlock, as
generally seen, is cumbersome vol
ume, with sweet prelude of verse fol
lowed by tedious chapters of awdwardly
constructed prose. The poem represents
companionship, and the subsequent part
is withdrawal If the companionsllp
could but be preserved, each month
would prove a honeymoon; discords,
chickering's, and misunderstanding
would diminish rather than increase,
because the action of contact wears OIL
angles and adjusts uneven surfaces to
one another Men would not sulk; wo-
men would not regret; nor would both
turn to the past with the unavai!ing
wish to undo the present. Their bur.
dens would be lighter by the sharing OF
them, and their discontents be softened
by sympathetic unfolding. Their ways
might be dark and devious, but the
consciousness that they should walk,
where's 'er they went, closely and tender
" 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 y
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 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 naturally
possessed. But companionship OF the
married is only portion of that which
is needful. Were there more compan-
ionship preceding marriage, there would
be less disharmony and misconception
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 maturi-
ty? Where is the miracle that can
convert ignorance into understanding,
and strangeness into sympathy They
whose destiny is common, whose histo-
ry is written in the same chapters
whose veal and woe are inseparabie'
should be reared together; 80 tar as
practicable, measured and counterbal-
anced one with the other. The segre-
cation Of the sexes is unnatural and un-
wholesome; has the faint OF monklsh
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 ana
lambs, and every effort is made by ped
agogy toward their mutual alienation.
Assidious training at school and at home
does what it can to render then enc
mics, and after long slumbering, the
old enemy often breaks ont IN connu6ial
relations, and refuses to be placated.
Nothing but the inherent and inextin-
guishablc attraction between man and
woman thwarts the purpose OF false dis
cipline and pernicious tuition. As the
bud opens to the sun, as the tides obey
the moon, we sentiment beings seek
our mates and recognize them by in
atipct J,tnius Heart BTopne.