The Hickman courier., 1874-09-11
Unhappy Marriages.
"As a rule, marriages are unhappy -
So saws the New York Sun

GO AS rule, marriages are unhappy"
So says the New York Sun.
1t is safe to say that fully twenty-five
per cent. of married people would read |
and laugh at this assertion. Others |
would sigh and look melancholy, as if |
they knew from bitter experience that |
the statement was too true while others |
still would brighten up and look cheer |
full, and feel comfortable over the rove |
lation that a large proportion of hus- |
bands and wives were as miserable as
themselves. If the writer had said
that marriage, as O rule, is disappoint-
ment, he would have come nearer the
truth. This is, perhaps, fact, and for
very plain reasons. The anticipations
OF a pair of sentimental lovers-and
where are the lovers who are not senti-
mental Pare impossible of realization
outside of paradise. The realities of
married life cannot by any possibility
reach the transport of Joy looked for
ward to, and, therefore, though a couple
may be well and evenly matched, and
as happy as mortals can be in this world
of uncertainty, yet the lofty heights OF
their vision cannot be scaled ~ flesh
and blood, and disappointment more or
| less woful usually succeeds. 1t is alter
| a husband and wife have learned that
| they are mortal, and not angelic, that
each has foibles that must be borne with
| patiently by the other, that the true
| happiness of married life begins.
| Domestic troubles usually commence
| early. and nine-tenths of the divorces
are obtained by those whose married
life has been short. Long association,
community of interests, thoughts natur-
ally drawn into the same channel by the
same surroundings, common love Tor
the same children when children nave
blessed the union-these, and hundred
| other things, naturally draw a married
-sroh7sN-4 4~0etbao sod make the, nnlon
4 they are practically one IN feeling,
thought, sympathy and action. Even
when broils are frequent, and love, III
the better sense, cannot be said to exist,
there is after all feeling closely akin
t. it which bursts forth at the most un.
expected times, and proves that few
men and women can pass much of THEN
lives together in pursuit of the same
object without growing into an affection
strong if not tender. 1t is this which
almost invariably causes the beHevoleDi
man who interferes between a quarrel
ing husband and wife to get curses il
not blows from both parties for his
pains.
In one dramatization of 'sRip Van
Winkle" the feeble old man totteIs back
to his home, and with fearful ey& and
trembling voice asks for his wife. He
is told she is dead. He opens his faded
eyes in wonder at the news, and then,
as he remembers the harsh words she
has given and the cruel blows she has
dealt him with that terrible broomstick,
a smile of satisfaction overspreads his
face as he triumphantly exclaims
"Vell! her clapper ish stopped at last 7
But then comes visions of their younger
days, when he led the hkeliest girl IL
the village away from her other admir-
ers and married her on the green al
Falling Waters; of the ups and downs
of their after life, and of Gretchen ten
derness as well as cruelty, and at re
membrance of these come kindlieI
thoughts, till the simple-hearted Dutch
man bows his head and speaks his hu
manity by saying TREMENDOUSLY: "But
she vas my wife for all that" That was
the secret. She was his wife IN spite oi
all, and it is an honor to the race thai
these tender thoughts of days that are
dead thus come back to us.
Whoever speaks of marriage beinE
unhappy, as a rule, mnst have had {
limited, as well as unfortunate view O.
society. 1t has become quite common
of late years to refer to the misery anC
tyranny of marriage as a very common
thing; but nothing could be more false
or unjust. As rule, unhappy maria
ges come to light and are blazoneC
forth to the world with loud trumpet
ings. The noise thus made attract
wide attention, and creates among thu
thoughtless the idea that domestic hap
piness is rare; but such persons forge
that while the details of one unhappy
family's experience are given to the pub
lie, thousands are living happy lives
blessed and strengthened by that ten
derest of all relations.