The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-29
A Grateful Diversion.

1t is pleasant to turn for moment from
the savage strife OF greed and selfishness
to admire the beautiful consideration OF
this good and tender-hearted girl:
"The following proposition respectfully submitted
to you for your decision;
"A man and woman have known each other for long
time and might reasonably be called very Intimate
A. time goes by tho man discovers that he 10 rapidy
falling in love with the woman. The latter with true
feminine intuition discovers this fact Also but at tho
same time realizes that apart from certain friendy
feeling she does not love him. and would not marry
him. She that in the OF time he Will be LED
to make proposal OF marriage to her. NOW. "hat
ought do. should she tell the man that his at
tentions vain aud thus the risk OF compro
mising herself by speaking out without apparent
reason; or should she let tho affair run lis natural
course and then when the time arrives Tor the tan
question, nat'y refuse one who has been lifelong
frend In other words what should the girl do under
the circumstances''
This Is not q case for arbitration. NO
umpire has any power to settle It, III the
pair were already married. difference OF
opinion between them as to tho interpreta-
ton OF matrimonial agreement might be
arbitrated, but no arbitrator and no umpire
can force anybody into an agreement to
which he has not consented and into which
he is unwilling to enter. He Is n free agent.
1t is for this girl to say whether she will
marry this man. she being legally qualified
| to make the contract. Nobody has any
right or any power to make her marry
| him. We can accordingly only go so far as
| to advise her in the matter. and she can
take our advice or not as she thinks best.
1t is great mystery that n woman may
know and like many men as companions
and yet have an attraction for only one OF
them as husband. She is doubtless acting
under the law OF natural selection. as modi-
fed by the artificial tests and requirements
OF civilization: but why she makes the par
ticular selection may be incomprehensible
to everybody else and even to herself. In
| the long run. and, as a whole. marriages
made in accordance with this mysterious
law OF nature or from love only, are the
happiest for the individual pairs and the
best for society.
At this period. however. when the destruc-
ton Of all individualism is demanded by
some philosophers. it is proposed to take
away from woman the right to make her
own selection Of n husband and to transfer
the authority to the State. They would
have commission of doctors and sOciOlo-
gists. MS they call them. to decide whether
pick out husband for her on alleged scien
titic principles. They would have the mar
rage laws framed in imitation OF the usages
OF stock farm for the raising OF animals.
In substance. they would compel every
woman to join n matrimonial union. and tt
submit to its dictation instead OF yielding tt
the beautiful sentiment OF love. which gives
romance to life. and humanizcs and re
| IL
their instincts. They want society to trca
men and women merely rs machines. lcav
ing them none Of the freedom OF individual
ity. They would have everybody compelled
to do what he is told to do by the majority
, Women are not likely to favor any sucl
arrangement as that. nor are men anxious
, for such slavery. 1t Is a crazy theory. 1t
execution would send the human race bacl
, where it began. and n new fight for libert
would have to be made.
, But this is not answering our fair friend
: question. We suggest to her that she lie
, the affair run its natural course" Proba
bly, she likes the man very much bette
than she supposes. Having been accus
, toned to look upon him as n friend. it
: not easy for her to regard him as love-
That very often happens in such cases
a | When the time comes when ho propose
!. the momentous question. II the timc eve
: comes. the situation will DO changed rad
h cally. AS n lover laying his heart Mt he
d feet he will appear to her in new chal
9 actcr. and. seeing him thus. it may sue
a denly dawn on her that the real basis {
h their friendship is love in both. When
girl has admitted man to such intimat
g friendship long continued. she is apt to /
in love with him without knowing 1t. Sh
q has the best foundation for such u sent
= ment in her respect for him.
T. Hence we advise our fair correspondent
:. to give the man and to give herself til
r chance Of letting the friendship drift to il
). natural end: that is. Of course. on the Al
4 sumption that she Is not In love with SON
a other fellow. In which case she should {
a once put the poor man of her story out
4 his misery by announcing the fact to hin
She is good girl manifestly. and she wi
@ make a good wife. Our advice to this ma
s. therefore, is to persist until he wins IL
o prize. Ten to one he can do 1t.
a The Question of II Treasurer.
n The substitution as Treasurer Of Il
Y Democratic National Committee OF tho Ho
4, | RopppT IL RnnspyRIT n nowcomar In n