Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-03-22

drinks, although he tries to hide 1t by
chewing cloves. Everybody knows he
drinks. Parents warn; neighbors and
friends warn. She will marry him; she
will reform him.
The Altar OF Sacrifice,
II she is unsuccessful in the expert
ment, why, then the divorce law VIII
emancipate her because habitual drunk
enness is a cause for divorce in Indiana,
Kentucky, Florida, Connecticut and
nearly all the states So the poor thing
goes to the altar of sacrifice. If you Will
show me the poverty struck streets IN
any city, will show you the homes OF
the women who married men TO reform
them. In one case out OF ~, 900 IL may
be successful experiment. l never saw
the successful experiment But have
rigorous divorce law, and that woman
will say, If am affianced to that man,
it is for life. "
A rigorous divorce law will also de-
much to hinder hasty aud inconsiderate
marriages Under the impression that
one can be easily released people enter
the relation without inquiry and with
ont reflection. Romance and impulse
rule the day. Perhaps the only ground
for the marriage compact is that she
likes his looks, and he admires the
graceful way she passes around the ice
cream at the picnicl 1t is all they know
about each other. 1t is all the prepara-
ton for life. A woman that could noS
make a loaf Of bread to save her life
will swear to cherish and obey. A
Christian will marry an atheist, and
that always makes conjoined wretched-
ness. for if a man does not believe there
is a God he is neither to be trusted with
a dollar nor with your lifelong happl-
ness Having read much about love in
a cottage, people brought up in ease
will 90 and starve in howell.
By the wreck Of 10000 homes, by
the holocaust of 10000 sacrificed men
and women, by the hearthstone OF the
family. which is the cornerstone OF the
state. and in the name Of that God who
hath set up the family institution, and
who hath made the breaking of the
marital oath the most appalling Of all
periuries, | implore the congress OF the
limited States to make some righteous,
uniform law for all the states, and from
ocean to ocean, on this subject OF mar
riage and divorce.
Character the One Essential.
Let me say TO the hundreds OF young
people in this house this afternoon, be-
fore YOU give your heart and hand in
holy alliance use all caution. Inquire
outside as to habits explore the disposi-
ton. scrutinize the. taste, question the
ancestry and find out the ambitions DO
not take the heroes and the heroiDes OF
cheap novels for model. Do not put
your lifetime happiness in the keeping
of a man who has a reputation for be-
ing a LITTLE. loose in morals or IN the
keeping Of "a woman who dresses fast.
Remember that, while good looks are
kindly gift Of God, wrinkles or accl-
dent may despoil them. Remember that
BYRON was no more celebrated Tor MS
beauty than for his deprayity. Remem-
her that Absalom's hair was not more
sulendid than his habits were despica'
bic. Hear it, hear it! The only tounda'
ton for happy marriage that has ever
been or ever will be is good character.
Ask God whom you shall marry II
You marry at all A union formed IN
prayer will be happy union though
sickness pale the cheek, and poverty
empty the bread tray, and death open
the small graves, and all the path OF
life be strewn with thorns from the
marriage altar with its wedding marcn
and orange blossoms clear on down tothe
last farewell at that gate where Isaac
and Rebecca, Abraham and sarah'
Adam and Eve parted.
And let me say to you VINO are III
this relation, if you make one man OF
woman happy, you have not hyed III
vain. Christ says that what he Is 10 the
church YOU ought to be to each other,
and IL sometimes through difference OF
opinion or difference Of disposition you
, make up your mind that your marriage
was a mistake patiently bear and ior'
hear. remembering that life at the Ion
, oest is short, and that for those who have
been badly mated in this world death
will give quick and immediate Dill o'
. advancement written in letters OF green
+ grass ON quiet graves. And perhaps my
brother, my sister, perhaps you may ap
preciate each other better in heaven
, than you have appreciated each other Oh
,arth. q.
in the Farm Ballads" our Amerl
AN poet puts into the lips of repent
ant husband after life Of married per
a turbation these suggestive words;
a ,ndwhen she dies wish that she would b
And wing together in silence perhaps we vii
D Aud ;pever we meet in heaven would no
: think il queer
II we love each other better because we quar-
relied here
The speck on the Horizon.
, And let me say to those OF you wh'
are in happy married union avoid mrs
1uarrels; have no unexplained CORE
Ipondence with former admirers; cult
: yate no suspicious: in a moment OF ba'
temper do not rush out and tell TN
neighbors; do not let any of tho-a gac
abouts of society unload in your hons
3 their baggage Of CAB and title tattl,
do not stand on your rights; learn hoy
: TO apologize; do not be so proud, or $
! stubborn, or so devilish that you VII
not make up. Remember that the wori
domestic misfortunes and most scanda
ous divorce cases started from little IL
felicities The whole piled up train
ten rail cars telescoped and smashed
the foot of an embankment 100 fe'
3 down came to that catastrophe by ge
= ting two or three inches of the tract
> Some Of the greatest domestic misfo
: tunes and the wide resounding diyor'
" cases have started from little misunde
J; standings that were allowed to go {
= and go on until home and respectabi
:, ity and religion and immortal soul wei
down In the crash crashl.
And, fellow citizens as well as fello