The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-27

tonish you. The fact is, / don't think any
one has understood matrimony before me,
and I've had no experience of it. 1t has
long been recognized as fatal to love, If
II exists, and more or less apt TO produce
it., if 1t does not, just as there are places
| which give you neuralgia if you dom
take it there and cure you If you do But
] don't think love has anything to do with
the matter that's a detail important
not comparable to the bargain which IS
the essence of the business?''
THE bargain--27 she almost gasped.
Yes" said, THE bargain. Then he
says: l must have feminine society /
must have the female point of view al
ways there whenever l want it; my own
Womankind won't do. In the first place, l
can't rely on their punctuality; and then
at any moment they may lapse into seri-
business, think hard for me-the very thing
l to avoid, and the mischief is done.
Besides, they know you; they never give
you chance. Now, matrimony at its
best must be between people who don't
know one another, and who never will.
That's the great secret. It's the only
chance of a revelation. 1t is the only hope
of getting anything read into you, and
then learning the lesson yourself, especi-
ally anything high noble or not common
place. There is no room for love here.
That discolors such a union-such a con-
tract, if you Hke-with all the pageantry
of the rainbow; 1t is very natural a peas
ant sight, but effects nothing on the
kind of life-I want something new. w hat
ever / like in my present existence ! can
practically keep; he viii make new wo-
man OF me. Really, what she wants, too,
is trusty companions; IL she has any
qualities they must come out, because she
is in a new world So what each demands
is to be developed and made the most Of;
really I'm not at ali sure when / come to
think of 1t that an enlightened system of
pOlygamy may not after all be the greatest
announcement to man to advance his
highest ends. At any rate, 1t would secure
the requisite amount of absenteeism.'
1 could hardly refrain from smiling
a my a lint he
serious, gradually maturing to grave.
Don't you agree with my theory Of
"WeiI," she said. there must be give
and take, of course, but II think 1 pre-
fer the old fashion"
1T is the old fashion I am pleading
for I said. "At least, It is what / be-
lieve and hope; of course, we never
know, because those in the secret never
tell us. But common sense tells us IT
must be so. Marriage is an agreement
for occasional companionship on terms
and very strict terms
"Oh, dear" she said, with a genuine
sigh, Il eare say you are right, but
how horridr'
Anyway" I went on. that's the type
much as you like, but remember that
there is nothing in this life which may
not be idealized-crime, dress, furnf-
ture fashionable at home school
boys, impecuniositly even bourgeoise
comfort, so why not marriage?"
I was just going on, IF ever have
a WIFE when j renecL6d tnat such a
parting shot would be too crude. Be
sides she had clearly lost her interest
So 1 trailed off anaemically, Talking
of at homes, are you going to the
Idyls?" / asked
She said she was.
''Don't you think that kind of hospital
ity is a mistaken
''Well, of course, 1t isn't a dance; but
what sort do you preferf
''Where each sticks to his or her kind:
he foregathers with his bachelors, and
She like Jephthas daughter, with the
maids of her youth till they desert; the
two tributaries ought never to mix at the
matrimonial confluence like Mr.. Dombeys
party"
''Then how about seeing your friends?"
you oughtn't TO want to see them all
at once: the frequent though not unlimit-
ed meetings of husband and wife ought
to be enough for the purposes Of compan-
ionship; all other friends are superfiuous
Indeed society is to be recommended as
a means of avoiding them. Good cutting
acquaintances are enough
what a queer ideal What a prospect
for the woman What do you think is 10
be her fate in this schene2"
'Sing leness," said, tempered by a
husband"
Who may turn out she went on.
"Who may turn her out" / said
She laughed artihcially and went off
In three weeks i heard she was en-
gagged to the well-groomed youth.