Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-22
ABOUT WEDDING TRIPS.
People Must Take Them, Even
Though They Dread II.

"a
can be sure of only one thing the we'd
ding trip originated among civilized or
semi-civilized nations, and not among
barbarians. -
Custom now requires that newly
married pair should fly from their
friends and seek the seclusion OF cot
tage by the sea, or the more acute lone
illness of hotel crowded with strang-
ers. Exception is sometimes made in
behalf OF husband and wife who are
advanced in years, or who by long
continued habit have become accustom-
ed TO undergoing marriage, and look
upon taking for the third or fourth
time the VOWS OF matrimony with the
indifference with which veteran
traveller, landing in New York, swears
his way through the custom-house. But
10 young people no social mercy is
shown. They must undergo their we'd
ding trip, no matter how much or how
Justly they may dread it.
Our barbarous ancestors regarded
marriage as an affair either of bargain
and sale, or of robbery. In neither
case did the successful husband feel
called upon to hide himself Having
bought an eligible wife, or having
picked up a cheap wife at bargain, he
no more thought Of carrying her off TO
some secluded place and concealing
himself and his purchase for a month
than the fortunate buyer Of a fine pict-
ure or good table bought for a song
at an auction thinks Of hiding the evil
dence of his good fortune and discern
ment. Neither did the cave-dweller.
who probably knocked down his be-
loved object with club, and, throwing
her over his shoulder. carried her to
his private cave, think of flying with
her to some large and fashionable sea-
side cave and spending three or four
weeks with her in the darkness Of the
stuffy and stalagmite-strewn bridal
chamber. On the contrary. he was
proud Of his prowess, and on the morn
ing after his marriage exhibited his
new wife, with her head covered with
sticking plaster, and casually remarked
to his friends that, although he had
married a large number Of wives, this
particular one had the thickest skull he
had ever cracked. Such is TO this very
day the custom in the best circles OF
native Australian society, and scientific
persons are OF the opinion that the
Australians are the oldest race now on
the planet.
Conceding, then. that the wedding
trip has not come down TO us from
primitive and savage man, it must have
been the invention of comparatively
civilized people. What could have
been the motive which gave birth TO
such custom? The answer must be
sought by conjecture. but in this case
conjecture may prove to be trust-wor-
thy guide.
Clearly the inventors OF the wedding
trip were not human and sympathetic
race. There is probably no time in the
life of man or woman when he or she
has greater need of human sympathy
and encouragement than during the
first few weeks Of married life. And
yet this is the very time when mod
ern custom has decrecd their isola-
ton. They are not merely thrust out
Of reach Of the sympathy OF their
friends, but they are practically forbid
den to make new friends during the
honeymoon. No newly-made husband
dares TO say: My dear | have met
some very good fellows at the hotel, and
we're going TO have a little game of
whist in the smoking-room to night, -
and where is the recent bride who
would venture TO spend the evening in
Mrs So and Sos room, and leave the
groom alone for an hour or two? No!
the pair must be confined exclusively
in the society Of each other while the
wedding trip lasts, no matter how they
may long for the clasp of a friendly
hand or word of kindness and encour-
agement
Thus we see that the people who in
vented the wedding trip were not
sympathetic race. Beyond doubt they
were practical people who priced the
useful above the pleasant. They in
nicted wedding trips upon newly-mar-
ried people because they judged it best
for the interests Of the community.
Now, these sensible and disagreeable
people may have had either one or two
objects in view when they established
the ordeal by wedding trip. Perhaps
they regarded it as the swimmer re-
cards the headlong plunge into cold
water, as the quickest way to accustOm
oneself To an inevitable evil. They
may have reasoned that as man and
wife are to make the experiment of
living together during the lifetime of
one or the other, the sooner and more
thoroughly they try it the better.
There is certainly n good deal of force
in the reasoning, but it proceeds upon
the assumption that marriage was at
the period in question indissoluble,
whereas we know that Us a rule indis-
soluble marriage exists only in the
highest state Of civilization, and is
comparatively modern idea. In all
probability such facilities for divorce
existed among the people who originat-
ed the custom of wedding trips.
II such were the case. the wedding
trip was beyond doubt designed as n
test of the fitness of the bride and
groom for IA more prolonged expert
ence of married life. Doubtless the
father of the bride said to his daugh-
ter: Marry this man il you wish, and
90 away with him for a month where
YOU will have nothing to distract your
mind from him. II at the end of that
time YOU still endure him, we will get
an order from the supreme court max
ing your marriage permanent With