The age-herald., 1897-09-16
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so much has been written about the recent marriage of Gen. James Longi street, to a bright, ambitious young Georgia woman, that there seems noth- ing left remaining to be said about the matter. But General and Mrs. Long, street were evidently not content with the notoriety which came to them, from their unusual matrimonial venture, so they have put a fitting climax to the affair by writing to New York news paper their reasons for marrying each other The good taste of such a pro- ceeding is debated by well-bred people, but as this is purely a personal ques- tion-except as 1t wearies the public pa- tbence-the bride and groom should be permitted to explain their remarkable fanciss for each other No one who is at all familiar with the sentimental cap rices of antiquated widowers, is sur prised at the predilection of an old man, for an attractive young woman. In man vanity seems to increase with the &C., cumulating years, and, by the time good looking, well-pneserved grand-fathers and great grand fathers, attain to the mature age of three score years and ten, they regard themselves as irresist- able, and fascinating to all women, young and old. So it was not entirely necessary for Gen. Longstreet to inter- pret to the world his recent marriage he simply did what thousands of absurd old men have done before, and thous- andS will do again. if the millennium does not speedily overtake the universe.
 With Mrs. Longstreet it was very diff ferent, and while her communication was in very execrable taste, still it tends to enHghten newspaper readers concerning the motives and reasons, which prompted her to make such an unnatural marriage, for an intellectual, energetic woman, who had demonstrated the fact that she was fully capable of taking care of herself. The notoriety which has attached to these Georgia nupttals has evidently gratified the par ties most concerned and what is recog- nized as the amusement and rtdicule Of the people alt large, has evidently been translated by the happy bride and groom as an increase of fame. When a woman marries for love, pure and simple, it is not necessary to explain the patent fact, even to the most obtuse persons; when she marries for position, wealth, or any other unworthy motives, the less said about the matter the better for herself and husband, especially as in this case, when the groom is old enough to be bordering on second childhood.
 Mrs. Longstreet's communication was evidently intended for the men of the world, certainly she must know that there is not a sensible woman living, who would credit hsr statement that she felt for her octegenarian husband, Q romantic attachment. It is entirely her matter, whether she does or does not; it is nobody's affair how she feels to- wards hsr husband, but she certainly. cannot expect any woman with spark of human sentiment to have faith in her reiteration of sweethearty love for the old man she has welded
 Mrs. Longstreet tells in her letter of her womanly efforts to care for herself; to educate herself and to advance in a laudable way; this is to her credit, al- though most persons will regard thesN details of her previous life as entirely too personal, commonplace and private to be of interest to the world at large. Mrs. I1ongstreet comforts herself with the reflection that in marrying man of advanced years and completed re- cord, she has escaped the danger of be. ing mated to silnpering man with no Ideas in his head," forgetting that youth does not always signify imbecility, or stupidity. She is hardly fair to the &C., tive, brave, brainy young fellows who will some day be as famous as General Longstreet or any other hero of another age.
 But, in ona little paragraph of Mrs. Longstreets now celebrated explanation of her matrimonial tendencies, lies the gist of the whole matter, the explana- ton which really explains. She says in defending her position, "In such mar riage (such as her's), they could meas- ure quality for quality, and though in the natural order such a husband Gas is it not better to have been the wife of one acceptable and companionabie man, than to be the lifelong slave of one whom her soul held in aversion" From the expression of such opinions it doth appear that the expectation Of an early opportunity to wear becoming widows weeds, has really been the in- spiration of the Jsongstreet marriage. Mrs. Longstreet is certainly ingenious, if not sentimental. BALL.