Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-08-21
C0URTSHIP IN ENGLAND.
Love Marriages Not Rare IL tie
Mother COuntry.
The caeen Herself an EHaupie Princess
Lsuiss 81 wales -Bssk ken EnsAEs-
meats Doing Awsg Of Class
pistiactfons.

Virginia II Crawford, he sister o. Sir
Charles Dixie and Mrs Ashton Dixie,
writes as fellows 10 .hs Philadelphia
Press.
ISLAM generally credited, and right
IL. with tha possession q advanced
views on political and social matters,
feel that oaght 70 confess attbo outset
that a-l almost a conservative IN mat
riraonial questions. ! believe Ia iaGr-
rage as z fundamental basis q society;
/ bslieye in tho dosigatil.ty Of love
marriages. and / even venture u believe
IN the happiness Of the great majority Of
unions entered into under the present
mu-h- abused marriage system.
We have 10 lack in Engiand-by way
Of example-of love marriages in the
highest rank OF life, where tho tempta-
tious 20 the marriage Dc CONVEYANCE
are even greater than elsewhere. That
Queen Victoria herself married FOR love
is an established historical fact, ard
most Of her daughters are supposed 10
have followed her example. But we
need not 90 further back than last sea-
son, when the marriage OF Princess
Louise Of Wales TO the Duke Of Fife
was celebrated. II is an open secret
that the young Princess had been IN
love with the Earl for years, and for his
sake had declined to entertain the pro-
posals OF any foreign royal suiioT, and
although in this case the pretenslons q
the detrimental were backed up by
ducal coroaet and $3.50, oOo year he was
none the less Z detrimental in the eycs
Of several members OF the royal family,
who steadily opposed the match. But
the whole synpathies Of the Nation were
or the side Of the future Princess Royal
who has willingly sacrificed a great part
of her royal honors Or the sake Of tho
man she loves, and who may now be
seen shopping in Bond street unattended
or driving with her husband in happy
tetc-s-tete, much like any other young
lady Of her age
The English law, unlike that OF
France, IS rot framed in such . way as
10 encourage mercensrY unions. Pa
rental consent with rs is not q sine qua
non, and although an irste father may
disinherit his son or daughter be can
not legally prevent them from marry ing
whom they please. Even IN cases
where one or other Of the contracting
parties being under age they have re-
course 70 a runaway marriage a. . reg
istrar's Office, and make 9 false declara-
ton OF age in order 70 obviate the Do-
cossity Of producing the fathers consent
even then tho parents redress is but
meager one. They can have their re-
bellious son or daughter condemned 10
a short terr of Imprisonment FOR false
swearing, bat IN no case can tho mar
riago be annullcd- On the other hand,
a class 81 titled aristOcracy, backed up
By the rights CT rrimogenitgro, is I'M
dOubtedly a direct incentive toward 3
worldly marriages by creating limited
number Of exceptionally coed PARTS,
for whom ambitious mothers an-le dex-
terously on behalf q their Ga lighters, o..
worse still, for whom scheming aamsels
angle for themselves.
In England a man almost invariably
asks the girl herself to marry him be-
fore rppcalinr b Der father for bis con-
sent Whom once tho engagement ~ an
accomplished fact the lovers arc allowed
ample oppor,uritcs FOR making cach
others further acQ aaiutszee. The whole
family cooperate in giving them wide
berth. and they nay spena hours every
daT alone in each others company,
either fra the house o. walking CT riding
together. as the case may be. SBch
liberty. Wnich would make a French
mothers hair stand or end IS ptrfe-tly
CONNIE il fautr In England TIE
young couple even travel and par visits
in each others CON Vanv. the fanoee a.
+ cen panied by heE maid. - she sboali
4 happen - ~ rossessed of that append
ago. lut ofterer still quite without q
charcron.
This freedom - so0ial interroursf
ought 20 he a good safeguard against
girls ignore,tly linking tbeir fortunes
with ono whon Il is i-. possible for then
~ love. vere it not ffat ~ throw ove'
the nan she IS engaged - Is revsr8s'
~ soci ctr as e. unpar50uahle crime
J. seems 20 be only t1st dsa-ning ~.
peoples binds thst Fr1all scandal b.
fore marriage IS preferable ~ 30
sc1u8sl after ws-risTe charm p,
neve A. Sir Henry Coming ham. zhos'
6rHehtfui sketches 81 lfe in In5is ~
widely read. fas fest pnhlisnef elevs'
roseI sboaf Icnioa sccisty- ne Hesl
o3s.' in wLirh he uskes ths hs~oius
Olivis 8slibe- atel7 ~ ne rich vss1:
nan ~ who1a she 81 hstrothel II
view IA hat society oaght ~ heiF a FiT
on - tAe uretche5 dewws BE- Hriri
sh> "a -.ares wts- ses discovers tta
- s~.,t.--. -~e-f a r fefe er frrtesf r.