The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-05
HER DEA Of DIVORCE
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Says lis
All Right in Its Place.
PLACE TO BEGIN A CURE
Is Not on Poor Divorces But
on Fool Parents.

week ago the Rev. DR.. Hamilton
preached to a fashionable Newport con-
gregation that If society refuses to re-
ceive men or women who break up hom5s
1t will put an end to divorce. He begged
society to do this as kindness to the
church, as people care more for social rec
ognition than for preachers sermons.
When reading the earnest plea which the
reverend gentleman addressed to his au-
dience at Newport recently audience
seems a more appropriate wird to use
than congregation in speaking of New
porD am forcibly reminded Of the pro-
phecy which was made by Mile. Couse-
don' OF Paris, to a Journal reporter last
January.
1t will be recalled by the Journal read
ers that representative of this paper VS.
TIED the world-famous prophecies and
asked her to foreten the future of Amer
lea Among other things she said:
The dominion of the United Sattes will
reacn from pole to pole. But the evil
OF divorce will at last become unbearaS,e
THE rich will change their wives so
often that they will be worse than Turks
"At last women will revolt for their own
protection.
They win put an end to divorce alto
gether.
IAN American woman will lead the cru
sade.
"She win go down to posterity as the
Jeanne dare of the western world"
When 1t becomes necessary for a cler-
In
ciety to make the plea which DR.. Hamil-
ton made to his Newport audience it
would seem that the evil which the
French clearvoyant foresaw for our coun-
try was well upon its way.
But what will become OF that society
il such measures are adopted as those
proposed by Dr. Hamilton?
Who will cast the first stone, since
nearly every prominent family in the
Newport circle lives in a glass house or
is closely related to those who do?
If divorced men or divorced women are
to be debarred from the charmed inner
house of society, who will dare begin the
delicate task Of culling his or her relatives
from the visiting list? At present the
structure Of Newport society rests upon
the shoulders of families wherein the Co
respondent has played leading role.
DR.. Hamilton is especially severe upon
the man and woman correspondent. He
wouM have them banished from all re-
spectacle homes. Queen Victoria has made
an effort in this direction by banishing
all women who have figured unpleasantly
in divorce scandals from her court. / fear
the well-meaning dame has not carried
her moral measures so far with the male
offenders, else would Albert Edward no
denied admission TO his own mothers
drawing rooms, and many a titled man
would share his exile.
Before Dr. HamAton's plea to society
can be acted upon human nature must un-
dergo some further stages of evolution
1t is a curious fact that the majority
of women are attracted by a man who
wears a danger signal reputation.
When a man is supposed to be de-
stroyer of feminine peace of mind he 10
pretty sure of having the entree to the
most exclusive circles wherever he goes.
The bold women, of course, are willing
to meet him. The good women are anx-
ious to see what he Is like, and TO show
him how utterly powerless he is to disturb
them. The very good women want to CON-
vert him.
The Indifferent are pleased to exhibit
their indifference, and phs can only be
done by an encounter.
There are women who close their eyes
and ears and turn their heads away when
a murderer, forger or a thief passes by,
but every woman takes a look at the CO.
respondent in her neighbours divorce suit.
Nor Is this curiosity strictly feminine
The masculine columns supporting the
structure OF society are not easily alright
ed by tales of other structures which
have been destroyed by clinging vines.
but instead too frequently permit the ten
drills OF these vines. ruthlessly flung upon
the ground. to Irvine about them for a
new support.
Men are so sorry for beautiful and fas-
cinatfng women who are frowned upon
by society. When a man is sorry for
woman he wants TO look out for himself.
The parson or the judge soon hears
Of it.
Iovelesss marriage 5 far worse. Better
than legislation against divorce, or the
social boycotting of divorced parties, would
be an effort to educate people into max
ing marriage nigh art rather than mat
ter Of bargain and sale, as 1t so frequently
proves to oe.
And IN order to perfect the art OF happy
marriages. young men and young women
must be taught something besides the
fashionable accomplishments and Sports
OF the day.
They must be taught self-controi and
unse4hshness. Trite old words. yet they
are the basis OF all worthy qualities.
Cultivate unsesfishness in young gifls
character and teach her the meaning OF
those two great words. ''No5lesse oolige."
and il would De absolutely impossible for
her TO deceive her husband or TO inter
sere with another woman's domestic hap
piness.
II Is the selfish and seif-centered girl
or youth who develops into the correspond
ent
The young woman who has been allowed
to have every whin grzttiie3, ard who
has ruled her home and her parents as
50 many American girls do. with Al i'm
pe-ious VIII. Is very likely 70 make a mere
OF her married Life. and II depends so9d
deal upon her social environment whether
or not she makes mess Of other peoples
lives as well.
The gi-i who has lived only 20 Please
herself 4 nos Hkssy 20 develop into a wife
alto tries 10 please her aaSoa1d- Nor Is
the soa q Al adorag mother CEho has
F,iavs.4 the humble save a b.r ..sz.s-,sr,-,