The Globe-republican., 1896-03-19

10 1861 dpDilcdlOnS LOT divorce III
France have exceeded $4,000, of which
10000 have been granted.
NJ. Naquet, in urging the passage OF
the divorce law in France, optimisticai-
ly predicted that it would prevent many
ruptures and that married couples
would remain more firmly united from
the fact that their tie would not be
compulsory. Unfortunately exactly the
contrary was the result The first year
after the law was passed showed ZOO
divorces; last year there were over
5000. When separations alone were
permitted they only reached 5000.
While in 1882 the proportion was only
to 1000, today it is 25 in 1000.
From the history of divorce it ap-
pears that the proportion of unhappy
marriages increases from the day di-
vorce is legaliZed in country. It
appears among people Of the highest
civilization at the period Of their de-
cadence; from that time can be dated
retrOgrade movement in morals. The
Bible says that if man, after marry
ing woman and living with her, con-
ceives disgust of her from some
shameful fault he shall draw out a
decree of divorce, and. putting it into
the woman's hands, shall send her out
of the house. This was not always
easily accomplished, because the major
ity of people did not know how TO
write, and the Leyite or priest whom
4
their application if he saw fit.
In Egypt the law authorized no d.
vorce except in certain cases. Infidel-
ity was punished severely; the man re-
ceived 1000 stripes and the woman's
nose was cut. In Babylon public
auction of all the girls OF marriage
able age was held once year The
untying of these knots was even more
simple
Confucius, writing on Chinese laws,
established seven causes OF repudia-
ton, among which it appears that the
wife could be put aside for excessive
gossip or for not getting along with
her father or mother in law. But there
was this proviso: THE husband is ad-
vised to retain her if she will wear
mourning for her mother in law for
three years. As a matter of fact, the
Chinese resort to the divorce courts
very little and they hold a widow mar
rying second time in the utmost con-
tempt This custom is somewhat SINH
lar to that of the Hindoos in former
years, when the widows flung them
selves on the burning woodpiles upon
which their husbands bodies were be-
ing consumed - So
India recognizes certain causes for
divorce. Up to the commencement of
this century a childless HindoO was
permitted to lend his wife to a brother
or other male relative in order to have
children. In Burmah the women when
marrying do not take their husbands
names, but retain their own, with the
addendum of wife of So-and-So." This
makes it convenient for them to assume
their previous status in public knOwl
edge when hey come to be divorced,
as they are very likely to be, for di-
vorce is easy in that country.
IL d DuI IucSc Vile duu uuSUhllu QudI-
rel and determine to separate the wife,
who always does all the marketing,
goes out and buys two little candles of
equal length, which are made especially
for this use. She brings them home
She and her husband sit down on the
floor. place the candles between them
and light them simultaneously. One
candle stands for him and the other for
her. The one whose candle burns out
first rises and goes cut of the house
forever, with nothing but what he or
she may have on. The other takes all
the property.
y This looks fair enough on the face
Of it, but it often happens that the
wife on her way home with the candles
takes tiny scraping from the bottom
of one of them. A very little will be
enough. If the husband and the house
are empty of pretty much everything
but children she takes the shortened
candle and walks out free and con-
tent. But if the house is we'll furnished
and the husbands possessions are con-
siderable he gets the short candle and
does the walking.
In Greece the main idea in marry
ing was to bring children into the
world-males especially-for the good
Of the country; hence the great facility
offered for the breaking Ct the marriage
tie in case of sterility. The legisla-
tors recognized their right of divorce.
At Athens divorce could be obtained
by demand Of one Of the parties or by
mutual consent. The case was argued
before tribunal. The parties on be-
ing freed were expressly forbidden to
marry with a person younger than
themselves. Grecian wives convicted
.ef hreaking the seventh commandment
svore out to death. after having their
linar cut OF and their heads covered
With hot ashes.
u 4hlo barbarous custom was also
E1Aopsed in Rome after the conquest Of
.outhi1e and Corinth. The Romans.
u masters Of the world. only