Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-26

(All items of social interest will be gladly noted in these columns If sent to Mrs. George c. Ball, Nineteenth street, between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, South High lands. Telephone 9SS)
 This romance of Ex-President Harr- son, the tardy coming of which gilds the evening of his life, is arousng a pro- found interest in all parts of the coun- try. The daily press with an energy and enterprise worthy of the sentimental cause, is giving us columns regarding the progress of the courtshlp. What MT. Harrison says of the pretty and fascl- mating Mrs. Dlmmick, how often he goes to see her. and how they appear together on the streets of New York are told us with thrilling illustrations MT. Harri- sons age is also given with reckless Reconsideration in connection with his sentimental doings, which are as vigor- GUS and enthusiastic as those of early and robust youth. His political aspira- tions, his literary labors and his legal duties have all become secondary with him to this approaching marriage. The metropolitan papers give cartoons of him in tender and absorbing reveries, with the womanly face of his sweetheart looking lovingly at him from clouds of fragrant tobacco smoke. Politicians are denied interviews, plans for presidential preferment count as nothing, and even Imperative legal business is deferred be- cause of the Vaccinations of this w1mdn whom he loves. Judging from the pic- lures their peregrinations are entirely satisfactory. MT. Harrison trudges com- placently by the side of Mrs. DimmcS with the resigned carry-a-bundle air that should prove a lesson to rebeliouS Amer ican husbands His happiness is su- preme, and the nation, whose chief mag istrate he has once been. rejoices with him. The people wish him joy and fe- ]iclty in his coming marriage, and hope that this younger woman whom he has chosen may prove the same noble. true wife. the same elevated exponent of American womanhood as that other wife, who shared the trials and triumphs of his earlier years.
 But Mr. Harrison in the excess of his happiness has made fatal blunder a bunder that may tell against him in the next presidential campaign, and perhaps may cost the government a large sum annually. He has had the indiscretion to say that one of the req sons he became enamored of the fair young widow was that she does not talk when I wish to think"
 Why should well-bred man like MT. Harrison make such social mistake? Think of the precedent it inaugurates for less ambitious, but hard please lovers and husbands! Consider the cri- terion it establishes as to the fitness of a woman for the responsibilities of wife hood! A woman's worth to be gauged by a womans silence, Shades of Mad Same De Stael interpose in our behalf! "She does not talk while I wish to think" Discreet, taciturn woman; happy, silent lover What picture of thrilling, pom derous bliss these two present to na- tion which feels that both man and wo- man-lover and sweetheart-are old enough to know what they prefer.
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 But the end is not yet. And who knows but that, after the manner of some hus- bands. Mir Harrison may desire to think" all the time after he Is married, and that any attempt at loquacity by his wife will be treated as frivolous and un- becoming and will be rewarded in the privacy of their home life with gener- Ous growi But there is one hope that euStains us at this time when there is danger of Mrs. Dlmmick becoming a mute to gratify man who Is a persist cnt and unreenting thinker Perhaps, like some other men whom some women have known, MT. Harrison may find that the very attributes which attracted him before he married will be the ones he will desire to curb and restrain after matri- mo1y. The very traits which he ap- proves and enjoys now may be the ones which will irrtate and annoy him later Unless MT. Harrison is superior to the majority of mankind, he will in all proba- bility encourage Mrs. Dimmick to con verse after they are married just as some men you and know discourage the conversational tendencies of their wives when those same loquacous inclinatons fascinated them in anti-matrimonial days. As an unconscious sage remark ed, "There is great deal of human na- ture in man." and we can add especially in lovers and husbands, regardless of age, office or condition.
 Now the matter referred to as of pos sible national import should be seriously considered. It need not enter into the state campaign. for it is much too far reaching to be limited by the narrow boundary lines of our commonwealth Neither candidate for gubernatoriai hon. ors should be embarra ssed by such an issue and it should not be incorporated in the platform of our party at the April coI-entinn. But it is not to be ignored ff/ all that This magnificent republic of ours. which constantly exhibits a ten dency towards paternalism, needs yet to accomplish many reforms for the good of .he women and the children of the land. Much remains to be done before We can have a right to claim to be the most en- frightened people on earth. There are changes which must come, and come quickly. But. as is the case with all rev. olutions the work begins slowly and sluggfshly. There are now only heard nurmuIs of discontent that presage the storm, and, strange to say. these nhar- monious sounds are coming from the faithful, Iong-suffering women of the country. These women will make no battle for the doubtful privilege of ballot