Morning journal and courier., 1880-01-21

their friends and this is only natural, for the latter fear the wrath of their family most. ance to her wishes to which she has not been accustomed frets under the curb like res. tive Ally, and. deciding to bolt, reflects that she shall be able to make matters all right with her friends by and by. But the girl who has been brought up under harsh rule | must expect implacable resentment as the pen atty for disobedienee If she nerves herself | to elope, she will only take this step with fear and trembling and years of her after life may be spent in abject sorrow at being una bie to effect reconciliation with parents whom she will be taught to believe she has deeply injured. These second acts or the elopement dramas are often most unpleasant for the actors and the third ones, which are apt to culminate in disinheritance, are less agreeable still, but these chiefly concern the men.
 Men elope for reasons which will not al ways bear such close looking into as those which girls can urge in their defense A young man of good character, industry and fair professional prospects has so many points in his favor when urging his suit, he is so sure to have the opinion of society on his side if the girls parents hout him, and he is | so sure to bear down parental opposition In l the end, provided he be brave, constant and patient, that an elopement in his case must generally be taken as an indication of weak ness. Men. elope from vanity, wishing to prove that they are their own masters; from deficient courage when they sthate rows" from shame when they have become entang- | led with girls who are much their interiors in social station; and from cunning greed l when they wish to secure heiresses. Eiope- | ments in view of ssmesalliances' are the con- honest things going. They seldom lead to much good, because if young gentleman has 1 espoused 8 housemaid, he may possibly ob- tain forgiveness from his friends, but he IS | ,ok il-olv, A<< Co inf hi into his family circle. As 8 consequence he | must expect conjugal tiffs, scenes of weeping and mysteries, followed by 8 choice between quarreling with his kinsfolks or seeing his l wife take French leave of his roof. I knew an unfortunate man who, to the disgust of his
 connections, mostly personages of high rank, l married barmaid. He became recopciled | with his mother after awhile, but he was un- able to prevail upon her to receive his wife, l who thereupon began to vex his soul with orders to be more zealous in interceding for
 her. At last the mother relented, that her
 son might have peace, and day was appoint ed for the two ladies to meet They sat in gum silence for the first few minutes of their
 interview; then epigrams were exchanged,
 then recriminations, till the voices growing shriller and shriller, scene of shrieking
 words ensued, the whole concluding with
 fainting fits and with the deep disgrace of the
 husband, who found he had estranged both
 his wife and mother. Men have generally ! thlS aQVantag6 1Q ln6lr elOp6menIS, tQaG Wueu the wife's family pardons, the husband IS
 forthwith admitted into it. To be sure this
 privilege may not be worth much when 1t in-
 troduces man of delicate nerves into dis
 tinguished circle of persons who privately
 scorn him nor when it procures him the hon.
 or of being addressed as 'tCousin Dick" by
 the costermonger selling blosters outside his club.
 No general rule can be laid down as to the
 propriety or impropriety of elopement. Every
 separate case must be judged on it's merits. If,
 on the one hand, parents often throw too
 much cold water on the flames of first lover it must be remembered that the experience of
 elderly people is worth something in forming
 auguries about marriage, and that, more
 over the prohibitive 'sNo'' is often pronounced under the severe belief that the young people who want to get married are not so seriously
 in love with each other as they appear to be.
 It is but seldom that parents will remain ob- . durate when they see that 8 mutual attach ment has stood the wear and tear of years, and
 that real unhappiness is caused to the lovers , by withholding from them permission to mar , ". had written thus far when @ lady tc
 whom had been reading this little essay ask ed me whether considered that any girl wal
 bound to languish for 'tyears' simply to con , vince puzzle-headed friends that she had made
 a good choice in her love. ''Lfe is too short,
 added my fair critic, ''for us to fling our best years away in that fashion of course if peo
 pie are in love they ought to marry anywhere . and anyhow, without caring for anybody. Tha
 is the way to be happy"
 To this I having nothing to add, except tha the postulate which lays down that happiness is the inevitable result of love match, has il it refreshing novelty, and conveys, by thu by, a most delicate compliment to my fai 7 critics husband