The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-01-18

Any close observer of social laws and the de-
velopment of ideas during the last few years
must be struck by the gradual adoption of the
manners and minds of our cousins across the
pond. For some things this is to be commended.
But the adoption of the vices of the Old World,
the engrafting of its old ulcers on the body
social of the New, is an abuse, and is a method
calculated to bring diseased views into the
healthy American mind.
In nothing is this shown more plainly than in
the custom now beginning to be prevalent-that
Of married women being classed as "belles'
and married men as "beaux." OF course, mar
ried women should dominate in society-their
experience, position, and dignity demand it,
They lend tone to social gatherings. They arc
at once the handspring and foundation of social
life. Society without them is crude, unstable,
uncultured. Besides, there is no reason why
married women, the entertainers, the upholders
of the social edfce, should not enjoy the pleas
ures OF a society OF which they are the chief or
naments.
than their husbands to pay them devoted atten-
tions they are transgressing social law which
cannot be broken with impunty. woman
has no right to receive lover-like attentions
from men whom she knows her bond precludes
the possibility of her regarding in tender light
To encourage them is to urge on what will de-
tract from woman's truth and dignity and
bring sadness to happy homes. That it is for
"fun" is poor excuse-the fun that handles q
womans name on the lips of gossip, that sneers
at the fidelity of wife, that sullies woman's
purity, is sad pleasantry-a CHASTITY smile of
grinning skeleton.
No man who devotes himself thus to married
woman respects her. There is no man, no mat
ter how loose his own life may be, that does not
admire propriety in woman's characterize
man who does not respect o woman's name
whom it is above reproach. And while he may
enjoy the society of married bellies, he will
never respect women who allow him loyer-lke
attentions.
In fact, they would be the last he would choose
for his oaOn wife, were death to sever the bond
that now binds them. With equal reason it is
true that married men have no right to play the
part of beaux. Flrtations are edged tools and
often cut the hands that began using them in
play. BY men and women who have proper
idea of the sacred obligations of marriage this
regarding of it in such a frivolous light is mex
plicable When husband and wife love one an
other truly, when they have regard to their mu-
tual and mighty obligations, when they realize
that deceit and untruth in small things lead to
great evils, then we find those who view the
idea OF married bellies and beauX with abhor-
renee
In these firtations is the source of an evil
whose influences are far-reaching and deadly in
their effects. 1t is the divorce court. The facil-
1ty with which divorce can be obtained reduces
marriage to a common contract, to be broken on
the least pretext, the flimsiest excuse. These
married flirts, tired of one bond, begin to angle
for the new love before the old one is scarce of
age. There is no good man who does not wish
his wife, like Cesar's to be ''above suspicion.n
But with fiirtations and loves among those who
have pledged their fidelity forever to one there
is small chance of the home retaining its proper
purity and dignity, unless they realize that such
conditions are perilous to our social and moral
welfare. A WASHINGTON WOMAN.