St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-22
THE SIN OF DIVORCE.


THE SIN OF DIVORCE.
The facts disclosed by the evidenced
the PARKER case, just concluded in Min
neapolis, present an interesting picture
of the possibilities of domestic life. The
woman, on the witness stand, testifies
with glib familiarity about series of
infelicitous experiences in her daily as
sociationS with her husband which
would fill volume in extent and ere
appalling in character. The husband
retaliateS with accusations of infidelity,
and supports his charges by pretty sat
isfactory proof that. even if his consort
hal done nothing immoral, she had
played dangerously with the fire of sin.
The whole story was distressing one
of two people tied together under the
SaDctity Of the marriage bond who
had no capacity for self-restraint, no
appreciation of the duty of forebear-
ance, no knowledge that anything was
to be gained by refusing to yield to the
suggestions of every passing passion
and impulse. Marital unions, except
in name, are impossible in such cases,
and the divorce court is the only logica
termination for the alliances of such
people.
The world rightly regards with suS-
plclOn and diSfaVOr men who are Sepa-
rated from their wives and women who
are separated from their husbands. And
while judges all over the land are kept
busy by litigants seeking to escape from
marriages which they have contracted,
in the event of success neither party
gains in prestige or general standing
with the casual acquaintance who knows
of their position. Without doubt this
is unjust i'll many instances, but the ex-
ceptiOns have to suffer that the rule may
be maintained. Differe noes In a family,
no matter how exemplary, will occur;
but when they become so permanent
and unbearable that formal separation
is necessary it is pretty conclusive evil
dence of serious deficiencies in charac-
ter on both sides. III the judgment of
the court the relief may be granted to
the one party and as against the other,
but the Judgment of the world is the
fairer, because it says that they are both
to blame.
1t is not 10 be expected that low-born
people should recognize the obligations
Of married life, or endure its sorrows
and dlsappointmentS in silence. 1t is
no more shock to see them pub
licly at war over their troubles
than it is to see them figuring in
the police courts for the settlement of
petty neighbOrhood quarrels or disputes
over trities. Vulgar common creatures.
bred in the stews. with no ambitions to
distinguish them from dumb animals,
they simply work out the law
of their being when they tram
pie on decency and parade their
shamelessness before the general
gaze. But there is another class of men.
and women who when they make a
scandal Of their domestic difficulties do
so not only to their own debasement,
but also to the confusion of every body
who believes in the nobility of human
nature or cherisheS ideals about its pos
sibilities. Men and women who have
had opportunities for culture of mind
and character can wrangle in public
only at the expense of their own self
De
People who enter into contracts of any
sort. if they are honorable, propose to
keep them to the limit Of their ability,
whether they bring profit or loss. Mar
rlage is a contract in which the man
takes the woman and the woman the
man for worse as we'll as for better.
And if they have character and strength
OF purpose, they will persist in the per-
Torrance of their pledges, no matter
how hard it may be for them to do so.
Everybody will admit that the husband
who would desert his wife because her
health fails her, or the wife who would
desert her husband because he is I'M
fortunate and unsuccessful, is false to
duty and conscience. But the wagging
tongue of his wife is often only the evil
dence of ill health, and the irregular
habits Of the husband the proof OF bus
mess failure or distress. Good people
endure through sad experie noes, even
though they are protracted, because
they have vowed that they will. Do
nestle martyrdom is as painful as
death at the stake, but heroes submit to
it, and it is only the weak and coWardly
who break their faith in the hour of
trial. Very little in life is pleasant.
Our careers are SUGGESTIONS of toiIful
effort, struggles and sharp and singing
blows; and their sure end Is death.
But we keep on just the same, because
it seems that we ought to. So it is with
the pains of married life. We should
not try to escape from them. We
should try to cure them if we can. If
we cannot,we should bow our heads and
undergo our lot, because we have sworn
that we should. Divorce is like suicide.
1t is the towards refuge from his ills.
THE HIGAG.>H, rCnyNED