The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-12

asked to take the chair. He replied
that he would gladly do so. as the sub,
feet had mo terrors" for him. The
but If we are thoughtful and OBJ
servant we cannot but know that
there are as many possibilities Of
tragedy in the married state as there
are of comedy; that It is by no means
only laughing matter; that If comic
at all, it Is to say the least, serio-
comic.
SOMETIMES A TRAGEDY"
Life is not all beer and skittles.' -
but very serious thing, and marriage
is perhaps the most serious part of
life. This is why thoughtful people
have but little sympathy for the gush-
ing congratulations and bouquets that
are Showered upon those who are en-
terfng the tragi-comical state OF
Hymen. LET us reserve our ap-
plause," they think, until we see how
they play their parts" Perhaps the
lights and shadows Of matrimony
were never better described than they
were by q minister of one of the many
denominations who began an extern,
pore marriage service in these words:
MY friends. marriage Is a blessing to
few, a curse to many and great
uncertainty to aldo you venture?"
When no objection was made to the
venture. he said: Lets proceed.
Now 1 think that it is only those who
are wfckedIy careless or else so stupid
that they are without anxiety, who
make this venture without considera-
ton and without preparation. All
who can exert any influence upon per
sons about to perpetrate a careless
marriage, ought to
Prevent, resist it and let it not be so
Lest child, child's children call against
them woe"
Marriage Is q tragedy when a huS,
band has come to lOathe his wife Or
a wife her husband. When fools
rush in where angels fear to tread"
When q wife thinks more Of her hat
than of her husbands dinner, or
when q husband intrusts money to
everyone except to his wife. When
relatfons-in-law are allowed to inter-
fere. When the husband is perpetual
ly prying into household matters, and
the wife thinks that there Is no place
so embarrassing as home. When huS-
band or wife wants to get the last
word and fOrgets that marriage should
be a sweet. harmonious song, and
like one of Mendelssohn's-wit
words.
Marriage Is a tragical disappoint-
ment to all who enter it without
preparation, who fancy that without
any effort or self-denial on their parts
they can become happy by merely 60
ing toI church and having the wedding
service read over them. II a bachelor
thinks that he can retain his freedom
from anxiety and self-regardlng pleas
ures after marriage. and tack this
latter on merely as an additional luz
ury-well. even the African savage
can correct such q matrimonial fal-
lacy.
We do not ourselves take the pesSi-
mistic view Of marriage which was
lately described by a missionary as
being taken by those to whom he min
istered, but there is some truth in 1t.
The people are heather and live some
where in Africa. They think that
marriage brings so many worries and
troubles that they have the following
social law. Before man may take
to himself a wife he must undergo a
severe test to prove that he has
strength to endure the trial. One of
these tests is as follows. A bag Of
ants, with which the trees are in
tested. are gathered together, and into
this nest of stings the mans hands
are tied. If for two hours he can
stand the torture without complaint,
then he can cope with the daily fret
and jar Of married life; then he can
be happy though married.
Next week: