The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-29
Marriages-Divorces.

few days ago we published a letter from
Cape Cod which gave startling account OF
the demand for divorces In that ancient
home OF the Puritans. During the ten days
OF the session OF the Supreme Court at
Barnstable its time was entirely occupied.
two other suits excepted, with the hearing
Of divorce cases. OF which there were thirty.
In all the applications but two. the ground
on which divorce was sought was desertion
for three years; and OF the thirty unhappy
marriages which the Court was asked to
dissolve. only two had been OF longer dura-
tion than nine years. The complainants in
most cases were young women, many OF
them under twenty, who had been deserted
by their lords almost as soon as the honey
moon was over.
These petitioners did not have the appear
ance OF gricf-stricken brides, crushed under
the failure OF their matrimonial prospects,
but were like jaunty school girls seeking
pretexts for escaping a disagreeable task. 1t
is not surprising that the Judge lectured
his fair petitioners on the levity with which
marriage seemed to be regarded on Cape Cod
But not only along that sandy shore, where
the women are many and the men few, are
there symptoms Of a widespread discomfort
with the marriage relation. and tendency TO
hold its obligations lightly. In many other
parts OF Massachusetts a like eagerness to
take advantage OF all the facilities for di-
vorce the law affords, Is at this time strik-
ingly displayed And what Is especially
noteworthy Is the fact that the DISCONTINUED
and estranged couples belong rather 10 the
old Puritan stock, over whose decline in
Massachusetts the Boston genealogists are
uttering lamentations. than to the races
which during the last thirty years have
been pouring in such a flood Of emigration
upon the Old Bay State.
We take up, for instance. the Boston Adj
rertiser OF our handsome contemporary, the
Hon. Z. +. WATERS, and find in nearly every
number long list OF divorce cases before the
Supreme Court In Suffolk County, the scat OF
the transcendent culture OF Boston and the
home OF the Puritan apostles and prophets.
On one day last week we counted in those
weighty columns q list Of sixteen divorce
cases set down for hearing before Judge
ENDICoTT, who seems to be kept constantly
and hard at work at that business, for the
list is not an exceptionally long one, and he
Is the Judge before whom the discontinued
husbands and wives are at present coming.
The names OF the couples, too, are most OF
them familiar Massachusetts names, OF
which we heard long before the advent OF
the foreign immigration which followed the
famine in Ireland and the political troubles
in Germany. Thus we find such names as
THAYER, STONE. PARSONS, HORTON, TAYLOR,
HENDERSON, WEST, HERsEY, FOSTER, Tor
REY, HIoGNs, WEBB, and others Of the orig
inal stock, and very few which manifestly
belong TO the later infusion from abroad.
What does this mean9 On the one hand
we hear the cry Of discomfort from the
maidens. In so great a majority in Massa-
chusetts that their chances OF matrimony
are comparatively few; and on the other
there arises the petition OF the welded 10 be
relieved Of the coniugal yoke. Moreover,
though the laws OF the State are severe
against any lapses from marital faith we
regularly read in the reports OF the news Of
the villages OF Massachusetts,, so infinitely
! given in the Springfield Republican and
other journals, day by day and week by
week. cases Of fragrant breaches OF the mar
riage contract Desertion for three years
on the part OF husbands Is also a common
offence. And yet these stories come TO us
from New England, and they concern the
dolngs OF the descendants Of the Purtans.
Our Boston friends are fond OF discussing
things, OF listening to lectures and reading
essays, Of organizing reforms and getting
to the bottom of the well OF thought. Here
is q subject for their talking societies