The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-10-09
PI, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8. 1885.

her his slave. Then, if the lover il
kinder than the husband, il court
ship is more pleasant than nar-
riage, it pursuit is better than pos.
session, iS mt celibacy preferable
to marriage
But, yOu ask, "why iOe2 such y
vast majority marry if marriage is
not evidently the prefrr'b ble state 7
ask, in reply, "why does the
charmed bird tall a helpless prey
to the terrible serpentr DO peO-
pie marry with no misgivings, or
under a spell that dares all things 7
YOu ask again, shut why do the
widowed marry again, and again
aud again ~ reply, sis not the
freed bird still subject to the ser.
pent's destinations ~ There lived "a
lady in New Orleans several years
ago who had bcen married nine
times. Was she happy In tue
way Of husbands she certainly had
full opportunities for proving "va
riety the spice of lite" but who
can conceive Of loving woman
mourning tor eight dear husbands
while happy with the niRtkf
Most OF our conceptions of mar
riage are from the average novel.
Nearly every novel ends with q
wedding-couducting us to the
beautiful door of the prison, but
never opening it to show US the
gloom and the chains and the weari.
ness within. | have read but one
good novel descriptive OF married
fife and the agthOE OF John Halifax
being too conscientious aud trLe to
paint marriage IN false coIors made
its victims taint and Due Qusler rs
inevitable burdens.
1t is quite common to snecr at the
elderly unmarried. Young people
and the thoughtless, beth married
aud single, speak cOntemptuOusly
Of the 'Old maid," the slower OF
CATS" ETC., wondering if abe Was
''crossed in love" or sever had au
Offer," little dreaming that her cell
bacy may be the sublime conquest
OF duty over inclinatIOD, aud that
she is happy beyond the cOucPp.
ton Of ordinary married people in
that peace which is the reflex re-
ward OF extreme sacrifice. What
though she has no husband, no
home, no children. ShS is married
to Qwty, her home is wherever abe
can DO most useful, aud having no
children to claim the mother love
that is part of every woman, she
gives it to the vide family Of IHan ;
aud vh9 wifi say that Ia all this
there is no glory aud no happiness I
| have said that men ara to blame
for ~ great deal OF married unhap-
piuess, butt hate 10 say lt-SOne
ladies' have been known to make
the married state PurgatOry. We
find them IN all climes aud all ages.
Back from the night OF time men
warn us OF the perils of marriage.
ASK Socrates. Will the husband
of Panthippe tell us that marriage
IL preferable TO celibacy. Ask
Samson, who by the woman he
trusted Was s4Qrn of his strength
and sold to his enemies. Ask job,
the QUO miracle OF patience, but Ia
whose ouly recorded address to his
wife he calls her by a name that
implies no kinship with Solomon.
Ask Solomon, the l0isc man, whO
with his thousand wives said Ot his
life, tall iS vanity, aud vexAtiOu OF
spirit" Shall We go back ! Yes,
to the beginning. Excuse me, ladies,
but the frst Ioife was mans first
tue first emisSary Of the
DaVIl. Adam, the celibaIe, was
happy in Eden; tue married Ad.
Am, bcgHiIed BY his IoJe, did eat the |
fruit and was driven
from Paradise. Well might St. |
Paul whose mystical illusions to
ais ''thorn in the tiesh,' nis ''meSs.
enger of Satan" are by many
thought to refer to . tUrmentiug
wife; we'll did the wise, the good,
inspired apostle teach US that while !
Is lawful and honorable,
,elibacy is wiser aud safer aud bet
Ter; aud with st, Paul aud Solo !
non, and the unmarried Of this |
assembly / leave the subject.