The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-11-10
Young Men With Old Wives.

1t is surprising how rapidly even the
| great fall out OF notice. Carlyle aud
George Elliot were literary wonders
and they are already dropping from OBJ.
/ servation. The latter was buried at
Highgate, which is already known as
the resting place of Coleridge. The fact
that her husband (John Walter Cross)
was so much younger (twonty years)
| than herself occasioned much comment.
This. however. is not without precedent
in literary and social life. One of the
leading clergy in this city is married
to woman ten years his senior, and
the union appears congenial. Moham-
med's wife was twenty years older than
her husband. and it is much to the
credit of the latter that he honored her
to the last. He ascribed much OF his
success to her assistance and influence.
John Howard, the philanthropist, mar
ried, out Of gratitude, q woman who
was equally his senior. She died in n
few years, however, and his second
union was one of love. It was, how
ever. also dissolved by the death of his
wife, and then he devoted himself to
philanthropy. Napoleon's first wife,
Josephine. was his senior by five years,
being 80 at the time of their marriage,
while he was 25. 1t would have been
well for him had he valued her conju-
gal love, whose violation was the be-
ginning of his ruin. Aaron Burr also
married widow who. like Josephine,
had two children. Mrs. Burr was ten
years older than her husband, but the
union was very harmonious. She prob
ably allowed him that large liberty with
the fair sex to which he had been ac-
customed, and thus avoided domestic
quarrels. John Wilkes, the famous
London agitator of the last century.
married lady who was ten years his
senior; but she was not willing to over
look his irregularities, and hence OBJ
tanned divorce.
johnson, the photographer, married
the widow Porter. who had small
property. He was acquain,ed with the
family before the death of her husband,
and this helped in the matter of court
ship. Mrs. Porter was 48, while her
husband was only 81. at the time of tho
wedding. The parties started horse
back for the place where the ceremony
was to be performed. and johnson thus
describes the journey to Boswell: "Sir,
she had got into her head from old ro-
mances that woman of spirit should
use her husband like dog. At first
she told mo rode too fast, and she
could not keep up with me; but when
l Stacked my pace she passed me and
complained that Jagged. was not
to be made tho slave of caprice, and
therefore pushed on till was out of
sight. When she got to the destination
] observed that she was in tears"
johnson always mourned the loss of
his wife. and although he was only 43
at the time of her death, he never mar
ried again. how often in his subse-
quent writings he refers to his lost COM
panion in the most affectionate man
ner! -l
When only 1S. Shakespeare was mar
ried to Annie Hathaway. whose age |
was 25. Six months from the wedding
day the first son was born to this ILL |
mated pair. The husband and father !
had no means of supporting u family,
and when tho latter increased tho |
number of a son and two daughters he
ded to London. The deserted wife
her children as best she could,
and twenty years afterward her hus-
band returned, and by his subsequent
conduct strove to atone for his early
error. Such facts as these prove that
John Walter Cross. in marrying Marian
Evans, had some striking precedent
Boston Courier. -