, 1876-06-24
Modern Marriage.

, directly upon ueep IOoleu Sht -
our domestic line, that 1t Is worlbonl
while to examine into their causesand
results. One Is the account otthe
suicide of young married woman
the cause an unfortunate attch'
ment :" the other the shooting { a
gay young fellow by girl 10 Wlom
he had paid attention for some y@rsi
but whom he had lately deserte. to
marry fair aud Wealthier rival. The
Young lady was OF course acquitted
on the ground Of insanity, and TIE
Young nan, is in fair way of reoY-
erv from his flesh wound. The ocal
papers made haste 10 eyculpate hlm
from all blame. 1" as no engagement
existed between the parties" In
neither of these eases was .he attach
ment Of criminal nature the yom-
en- suffered nothing but The mater OF
feeling, which is so intangible and
weightless q thing in public es eem
that only insanity can excuse the des
perafe deeds to which it drives them.
Here is precisely the point 10 which
we wish 10 call attention. NlaL l.
The worth OF a woman'S honuable
affections ? or has it any at ali : The
courts award q handsome sum q dol
lars and cents as the price of wlund-
ed feelings in 9 case of breeh of
promise; and that to the very wlmen
who by their coming before thepub-
lie to set a price upon their iear,s
prove that they have neither feIng,
sensiliveness, nor delieacy 10 iGure.
! In American private life, on thdcon-
/ trary, the pure affections OF young
| girl are the only possessions whl'h by
common consent are left togalll un-
guarded and which custom and even
social law forbid shall be protecta by
any means whatever. 4 daughaF Is
born. let Us say, 10 parents OF culture
and the highest social position isbe
is the center OF their hopes and pans,
all their wealth and influence are
brought 10 bear On the pertectiD, of
/ her body and mind ; no Safeguard
can be too vigilanlly set TO prdect
their treasure from any contamination
Of disease, impurity Of though, or
vulgar manner. So far the cours is
rational and commendable. Bat flpm
day To day when she technically en-
ters society, while she is guarded in
other respects as carefully as bebre,
any man Is at liberty to gain her Ilec
ton who chooses. Here is the nsuIt
Of lhat pucu!iar freedom Of our
American social system Of Whict we
are apt TO boast. The French d.mo>
iseiie receives no attention from pos.
| siblc lovers unless in the preSeice OF
her mother or guardian-ihe man
who would begin Irritation viii an
| English girl Of respectable hmiiy
knows that he is passing the ilspec-
tiun of father. brother, and moa Gers
tainly mother, who has been hernear-
est friend since birth. If his belayior
indicate that he is trihing he MAJ look
for A sharp snubbjpg from the amiIy
and a prompt exclusion, and such
punishment would be regarded simply
rs a protection and matter Of curse.
The American girl, On the courary
is left wholly TO her own guarlian-
ship She has half a dozen intinateS
among the young fellows of he. set !;
she corresponds with them, accom-
pauieS them 10 concerts and the pera
nnchapeToned. and sometimes ulnds
up the evening 10y srpper at ares
taurant which ends in the small hturs.
They are oSlensIbly lovorS-they are
friends, jOHS cOmdTddeS. She finds
the half friendly, half passionate in
! teTCOurse more intoxicating than Greet
love making. She opens the deILh OF
her innocent heart 20 the vulgar prv-
ing eyes the favored intimat, be-
comes an H0bitue Of the house. IL a
few months, perhaps weeks, he Knows
more Of the secret feelings, desires,
aims Of the girl. ihan her sister or
brother, or the mother who bop her.
iie treats her personally with aliber.
ty which is graduated by her iDliyid
! ual charac er. Bat il IS inevi;ib!v
liberty. The girl inevitably ends by
loving him the more unworidV, the
more pure she is, the more likely Is
she TO mistake his course as honorable.
In the meanwhile the man has not the
slightest idea Of marrying Ter; a
very small minority of young nen are
in marrying mood these hare times;
he has just as li,tle idea Of dnhonor>
ing her OF even injuring her in the
public esteem, bat he accepts the IN
rimacy or friendship of young girl,
as one of the good things winch So
clety offers him ; he would be 4 dull
/ TOOL if when lovely That's is lett TO Ait
beside him he did not take what the
gods provide. Meanwhile American
society rules that the fathf and
mother Of the girl shall remdn per
iec,i.| passive. The man maybe tie
most desirable or suitable ha>band
for the daughter, bat they have no
right TO interfere until he trmerIy
proposes. Ii they should " SIX his
intention according TO the ntional
custom OF our forefatherS, tie girl
herself would be tie first 10 rabel on
the g:oand that she was made riiicu-
iouS, and that Eer friend was mistaken
for her lover. When the frield be-
takes himself to the fresh fields. the
woman controls her disappointment
Is best she can and marries somebody
for an establishment or q hone or,
as IN the present case, finds b.r pain
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