Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-05-05

I class does not apply to the other castles
/ or classes. For instance, the lower and
artisan classes are the most improvldent
of all working people of whom L know
ANYTHING. When in England no aspect
of its social life is so ever-present to me
as the unthriftiness of the working people.
They marry and are given in marriage as
though it were only matter OF day S
lark. They have children born to them
without the least regard to number or
provision. They stick religiously to the
creed that God makes the children, and
! that he will not send mouth without
food to fill it. The poorest couples seem
! TO take pride in multiplying their off
spring and replenishing the earth. The
average family of workingman, should
say, would be about eight children. L
speak from observation, and not as giving
statistics. These children are usually as
well taken care of as the means of their
parents will justify. They begin to work
in their tender years and become bread
winners and out in the world on their
own account, while yet the children of all
American working people are IN school.
The great body of this class of English
children are very Independent, and early
form their own associations and rush into
matrimonial engagements and alliances
with but little concern as to the future or
the fitness of things.
The middle classes of England do not
quite 60 to the opposite extreme, but con-
siderations enter into the matter of mar
riage that we in this country would, at
least affect to, deem most unworthy and
mischievous. Whatever else we may
consider in forming matrimonial relations
we always put forth but one supreme
motive We hold it to be the only true
and enduring form of marriage that no
other element should largely enter into
the motive on either side. If we think
otherwise than this we never give articu-
lation to our thoughts.
But this does not hold true in England.
Love may be taken for granted Perhaps
it usually is. But it is not matter that
is discussed either between the contract
ing parties themselves or their friends.
Much is said, and openly said. about the
families and the relations, the capacities
of the man for getting on in the world,
and the amiableand housewifely qualities
of the woman. 1t may be a matter of
love, and | should say that it is univer-
sally held that it ought to be matter of
love, but, all the same, marriage with
the middle and upper classes of England
is also a matter of business.
Courtships in England are short and
engagements are long. No sooner is it
understood that young man and young
woman are in love than it is given out
they are engaged. The American custom
of leaving young men and young women
f.nn 70 I.,+n Il
company with each other for an indefinite
length of time without declaring their in
tentiOns is almost unknown in any coun-
try OF Europe. 1t is not long after young
man begins to show the daughter atten- |
tions before the father gives intimation
that he wishes to know what it means,
and either the youth declares his inten-
tons or is notified to "cut sticks" What
ever the advantages of the English view
of this matter may have, it has at least
one most obvious disadvantage, and that
is it leads to engagements upon too short
an acquaintance, and it makes of the en-
gagement the counting time rather than
as mere preparation for marriage. When
Once engaged the youngpeople are thrown
5ogether in the freest OF fashion, and NAV
De left to themselves at all times and in
I'll places almost as though they were
nan and wife. In the general society of
America marriage is deemed the vitality
important event in this life, but in Eng
ssh society the engagement is looked
lpon as the most important, and really is
sort of first stage in matrimony, or the
'ersonal uniting of the lives only awaiting
he legal ceremony.-RObert Lame Col
ier.