Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-06-13
SOME ODDITIES OF MARRIAGE
Widows and WidOWerS Generally
Avoid Single Life.

1t has been remarked that times Of
speculation are invariably accompanied
by increase of marriages. DR.. farI,
the eminent statiStlcian, kaZa IDS,
therefore, the suggestion that it is The
spirit of speculation itself that leads
many to embark Oh matrimony at such
times. Another reason, which ne is
careful not to ignore, is the increa sed
prosperity that induces and sometimes
seems to accompany what he calls the
periodical epidemics of speculation. A
great war, after it is over, is good Tor
marriage. SO is a good harvest, 80 is
the establishment of new Industries or
the extension Of old ones. The reason
is the same in all these instances; the
increased prosperity Of the general
body of the people. SO intimately is
matrimony associated with national
Well-dolng that it has come to be styled
the barometer of prosperity. Its ;ndi-
cations, however, are more for the
future than for the present, dealing
rather with the expected and antici-
pated than with tie actual. But this
only goes to SubStantiate what was
said of marriage as speculation. The
nation is sometimes extraordinarily
sanguine, and when this is the case
marriages are plentiful. Great pOpu-
lar leaders inspire this feeling. A
statesman of genius at the head Of af-
fairs perceptibly. increases the Jnar-
riage rate. In word the great
fluctuations in the marriages are the
result Of peace after war, abundance
after dearth, high wages after want
OF employment, speculation after IAN
guild enterprise, confidence after dis
trust, and national triumphs after Ia
tional disasters.
The marriage returns invariably
show a corresponding increase for any
augmentation in the duties paid upon
malt, wine, and spirits. They in the
same way keep pace with the consump-
ton of tea, sugar, coffee, and tobacco,
and with the imports of raw silk, cot
ton, wool, and timber. The one in
crease is not, however, the cause of
the other; both are but effects of the
same cauSe-increased national pros
perity. Marriages after bannS are five
times as numerous as maria geS after
licenses. When the price of wheat is
high the diminutiOn in the former class
is comparatively much greater than in
the latter. They are the first TO be
affected by high prices, licenses and
banns being regarded as the proSpec-
tive badges of capital and labor-nOt
without important exceptions, how
ever Autumn is the favOrite sea son
everywhere; with a few spring is pre-
'ferred. Half the weddings through out
the country are celebrated on Wednes-
, day and Thursday. Saturday has more
than the average number. Friday is
not favorite, as few marriages are
celebra ted ON that day. WidOwers ere
more inclined to marry than bache-
lors. Widows are more inclined to
marry than Spinsters. Both facts are
eioquently in favor of the comparative
advantages of matrimOny. For one
bachelor that marries between the
ages of 80 and 30 seven Widowers re-
| marry between these ages. These ale
marriages out of an equal number of
each class the actual number Of bache-
lorS married will be greatest only in
proportion Us they exceed by seven TO
one the actual number Of widowers
living at these ages. Under the same
conditions. 70: every spinster married
between 80 and 65 two widows are re-
| married-New York Dispatch.
John Scheer of Sedalia, Mo-, has a
! peach tree in his yard which is puZ
| zIing local fruit growers. Each stem
| has upon it a double peach. It is not