The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-12-10
LOVERS IN THE RANKS.
Oourtships in the Salvation Army
Are Under Strict Rules.
There Il No Privacy About EngsgemeAss.
aAA There II No Backing Out
Outssders Nay Not Court the
Arrays Daughters.

Salvation Army. There no room tueTe
for lovesick maids or for signing swains.
and such amusements as flirtations are
frowned upon from headquarters down
to subalterns. No exceptions are made
to these rules in any case. They apply
to the commanders rs we'll as to the
humble recruit just received on proba-
tion.
This was admirably exemplified in the
case of Commander and Mrs. Booth
more than ten years ago. Ballington
Booth, son of the general, met and fell
in love with Maud Charlesworth, who
had recently joined the army in London.
She was only II and he was %. The rule
saws that Salvation Army woman
must be 21 before she marries, and there
was nothing for the couple to do but
wait. Gen. Booth hustled his son off to
Australia to look after the new field
there, and to make sure that his af-
fection for Miss Maud was lasting. AS
soon as Staff Capt. Charlesworth be-
came of age she married the COM
mander of the American forces.
This marriage was remarkable from
the length of the engagement. Most
engagements in the army last about two
years. The first year it is termed court
ing, and no girl in the army can be
courted until she has served at least one
year. If formal engagement follows
it must last at least one year. There's
no backing out, however, after the en-
raqement has been entered into, al
though there is nothing binding on
either side during the counting period.
AS soon as the courting begins every
body is appraised of the relations. for
the superior officers of the army must
interest themselves in the couple. A
girl cannot be courted by an outsider
unless he promises to enlist in the army
and then he cannot marry her it he is
| below her rank. If the lover is below
her rank he must show ability that will
bring promotion, and this ability must
be certified by his superior officers be-
fore the engagement can be announced
This requisite ability must be positive,
! moreover. The young man must be in
dorsed as being capable of filling po-
/ SAAsS>
which he holds when the courtship
ended.
| All the Salvation Army laws relating
to marriage are for officers. They do
not affect the rank and file of the en-
listed men and women. They are left
free to do as they choose. The laws are
framed, though, to protect the women
because three-fourths of the officers in
the army consist of women. They are
as a rule superior in mentality to the
men, and the aim of the rules is to spun
the men on by making them work hard
for what they desire. Some men in the
army do not amount to much until they
begin to court girl, when they stake
a brace" and soon win promotion. Ii
might be noticed in passing that this is
frequently true of men in other walk:
of life. The Salvation Army insists or
this display of energy before a man car
aspire to the hand and heart of one o.
the army's daughters, no matter how
humble she may be.
Before persons can be in line for th'
position of officers they must statt
clearly whether or no they are in love
and must subscribe to each of the sever
rules regarding courtship and marriage
The most important of these is the ON
forbidding engagements with outsiders
There must be unquestioned proof tina
the outsider will become an officer II
the army before even the courtship is al
lowed. Strict as are the rules, they ar
not always lived up to. Girls even il
the Salvation Army will fall in love ant
in forbidden directions. Disobedienc
to the rules means discipline and some
times expulsion, and not infrequentl,
the army loses bright young femal
officer simply because she insists o.
loving and clinging to a man who vii
not join the army.
Officers must not be allowed to carr
on any courtship in the town wher
they are appointed. Their influence
destroyed when it is known that the
are engaged to soldiers. The laws ad
that soldiers so situated should ask TO
removal when surrounding influence
are found to be too strong"
In everything lovers are told tha
helpmates must be chosen "for the war,
and consent will never be given to an
engagement or marriage which woul
take the officers out Of the army"
explaining the object of this law tn
; field book states that the army canne
; afford to educate and train officers
!. have them leave. In leaving they al
! impressed that they violate their mos
. solemn pledges.-N. Y. Press.
How to Pronounce PekfnG.
1t is q very singular thing that 50 fe'
persons know how to spell or pr
49, ~ Chinese nif