Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-07-24
DIVORCE.
Known in Rome Centuries Before
Christ.
ABHAfIANrS METHODS SIMPLER
THAN SOUTH DAKoTA'S-oDD
REASONS FOR WHICH DIVORCES
I1AyE BEEN GRANTED.

The marriage and divorce laws OF
the various countries, States and tribes,
brought together, compound dish OF
statutes as analogous to hash as any
thing that appears upon the legal
board.
A year or two ago London writer
humorously suggested that an interest
ing piece might be prepared for the
stage. entitled Round the Worlds
Divorce Courts in Sixty Days" he
would have the hero, or shall l say the
william. Don Juan, begin his matrimon-
ial adventures in Ireland, take Sec
ond wife in Scotland and third in
England. The laws covering his case
lacking uniformity between the three
countries. would declare the marriages
both legal and illegal
Don Juan would next go to America
where, by reason of the varying laws
OF the different States, he could marry
and divorce. remarry and redlVorce'
and commit bigamy, trigcmy, quac,
rigamy, etc., until his itenerary caiieo
him on to fresh fields and pastures
new.
). Over in Japan he could legally shake
off a wife who talked too much' III
China one who was ill-tempered' IN
Australia one who imbibed too freeiy,
and in Germany one who was TOO ex-
trayagant. and SO he could travel mer-
rlly on, until he had actually glrdleo
the earth with divorces and grass
widows.
Divorce was known in Rome as lar
back as the time of the DecemVlrs. Inc
historian Dionysius has preserved a
speech by Veturia, in which she men
tions that her son Coriolanus, before ne
! left Rome, told his wife Volumnla that
! he was no longer to be her HUSBAND,
end wished her better luck in mnTy-
ng another more fortunate thar MIN
self This was in the fifth cntury pc
More Christ. ouod
In ancient Athens, tie law allowed
ivorce npon very t1i1ing grounds, In
,rete any mar might dismiss wife
Who nron,ied to hamper him with
IL ~numerous progeny. The Greek
wife Af to-day, If she would remain
vita must conduct herself with the
reote4t propriety. The husband may
ohta;n IA divorce from her if against his
wish she should stay night In an
other IN buse; if without his knowledge
and conkent she should go to the the
atre or Nthe races: or if against his
desire SHE attends dinner or goes in
bathiTg i'll the company OF men
Thu divorce procedure OF the an
c;ent ,1Jebrews, Judging from the case
nf Abraham and his wife Hagar, was
q very sAimple matter indeed. And
Abraham \rose up early in the morning
and tool, Aread and a bottle of water
and gave II III Hagar, putting it on her
shouIder andv the child, and sent her
away"
In early Ri Esian times divorce was
Wrought abou, lin this way: The couple
who wished tt1 be separated simply pro-
ceoded 70 a ublic square, and each
ta1,ine hold al one of the ends of a
tim of hrittld muslin, they pulled it
onart in the 81 essence Of their towns
neon1e nv this ct signifying a mutual
desire to mar. bmpany.
= r ar}l i'm Japan that hus-
II 10 ~. ai,ro,- his wife if she should
panu NO. ta,I,a+iv- The Chinese courts
ov wv a, ,. for oquacity, inattention
dlio" .e 4, 10 thievishnesS, ILL
W p IaSciyiou, ess and barrenness.
,, ,rho M away his wife for
any other cause Is w VIVA
80 blows.
The ancient Chin were much more
,;,ano1 IN +be;r div ce laws. 1t is re-
n.dad in ono of + ir old books that
80 Vito was turne away if she al
,oued tho house to full of smoke, or
if she frightened the " WIN her us
q .reaahle noise" by ich it would ap-