Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-12

women would be foo proud to be beholden
to such a wretch for anything when tney
could earn a living for themselves, put
when hampered by the care OF a child or
children, or perhaps sickness, they cannot
be so independent. But the law should
take hold of such shirks and make them
work. not alone for themselves, but for those
for whom they are responsible.
A writer upon the subject OF marriage
imputes much of the blame of unhappiness
upon the batteries and exaggerations of
courtship, when men hatter women as
angels and bow down to them as queens,
but as soon as the wedding ring is safely
placed and the words said they make them
selves felt as bosses, if not tyrants. The
romance and sentimental gush go out, and
the wife who thought that love was to make
her life continual picnic has oftentimes
rude awakening to work-a-day realities.
TEACH A WRONG DOCTRINE.
The novels of the day sustain and foster
this same idea that marriage is the open
gate to felicity, whereas it is reallya descent
from the throne to domestic service. This
is keen disappointment to most, but COM
mon sense teaches them right estimates, and
the illusions of love change into the joys or
friendships that after all are more lasting
or into the miseries of life of uncongeni-
ality, which makes marriage failure.
Experience of life makes it plain that the
worst mistake of either man or woman may
be made in marriage. But since both do it
with their eyes open, it is plainly the duty
of each to make the best of it, and stand up
to their contract honestly and honorably.
"Be sure you love him" said an old lady to
an expectant bride; cit will take all the
love you can scare up before you get where
am" To which we would add be sure that
he is good and true and honest, and then
you can trust that you will get all the hap
pinsss there is in it.
NOBODY TO BLAME.
A woman who marries fool because he
has wealth has nobody to blame but herself
when a life of wretchedness is the result nor
has q woman who knowingly marries a
close-fsted, cold-hearted, selfish man for the
sake of a home. Awoman who sells herself
for title will likely have reason to groan
over the small respect in which she is held
by foreign husband, but she can console
herself with the idea that she got what she
bargained for, if he is not q bogus baron
or a peanut count, as sometimes happens.
What men and women both need to do is
to consider we'll the terms of their contract,
and then live up to it. That this is done
by the majority is hardly to be doubted.
| Custom and public opinion in this country
have almost made obsolete, the laws which
are most unjust and oppressive to women.
| With the advance of women in intelligence
and independence, and the growth of men
in knowledge of the laws of equity, mar.
riage is approaching the ideal of equal
freedom, and hence of highest happiness
With ability to support themselves and
earn home of their own, women Of sense
are growing more chary OF selling them
selves for what Artemus Ward calls 'mess
Of potash" Husbands for them must ap
proach higher standard than of old. Witt
matters tending in such direction, it car
easily be seen that unhappy marriages arr
on the decrease, rather than increase, a
some croaking people contend.
BESSIE BRAMBLE.