The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-11-25
days of enlightenment, or, If attention

days of enlightenment, or, If attention
reverence to old custom than from any
conviction that the observance or nom
observance of this or that precaution
will add to the measure either of the
joy or sorrow of the newly married.
Marriage was not always the volun-
tary proceeding we now find it. 1t
was compulsory among the Greeks.
The Spartans could not tolerate
cclibacy, and by the laws of Lycurgus
criminal proceeding could be taken
against those who married too late or
unsuitably, as well as against those
who did not marry at all. 1t went
hard with the latter. Should any man
remain single beyond certain age he
was publicly scorn ed, and was made to
do penance by walking naked in the
winter through the market-place, sing
ing satirical song on himself. In the
French settlement of Canada women
were sent over after the men, and the
single men, that they might be forced
to marry, were subjected to heavy taxa
ton and to restrictions on their trade
and their movements generally. Those
who married were dealt with, On the
ether hand. in generous spirit. Not
only were they provided with good
wife and comfortable home, but they
were rewarded according to the num-
Der of their offspring. The father of
ten children was pensioned for lie at
the rate of 800 livres year. If be had
twelve children the allowance was in
creased to 400 lvres, and it went up
1900 livres when fifteen children
blessed the union. The conditions
were reversed in tie English colonies,
for there the settlers eagerly welcomed
the other sex. and did not hesitate to
pay traders heavily in tobacco weight
for every marriageable woman they
brought over. AS far back. however,
as 1896 the local authorities of East
ham, in Massachusetts, voted that
every unmarried man in the town.
ship should kill six blackbirds or
three crows yearly while he rema ned
single, producing the scalps in proof,
and as a penalty for not obeying the
order he was forbidden to marry until
he had made up all arrears. The re-
quirement in this case was almost
nominal; but it was not so in Maryland,
where, half century later, the
colonial assembly imposed a tax of
shillings yearly upon all bachelors
above So years of age (and on widow
ers without children) who were pos
sessed of f30O. There was a similar
graduated tax on bachelors in England
in the reign of William III. Any COM
moner who was bachelor at % had to
pay a sh ling fine yearly, and the
amount was increased IN accordance
with rank or title. any ducal offender
being taxed to the extent of f12 10
shillings yearly. The taxes grew
heavier before they were removed, and
the time came when bachelors were
called upon to pay an extra tax on
their servants. Thus we see the old
states as well as young ones have found
out that their prosperity depends upon
its married citizens. The best subjects,
as Lord Bacon points out, are those in
this relationship, the reason he gives
for this conclusion. being that single
are Light to run away" while "he
that hath wife and children hath
given hostages to fortune" 1t is true
that my Lord Veruiam declares at the
same time that the unmarried men
show most enterprise either in a good
or bad direction; but we have an offset
to this in John Tavlor's moralizing on
the subject-namely, that "a married
man falling into misfortune is more apt
to retrieve his situation in the world
than single one. Leeds Nercury.