The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-17
NUPTIAL QUESTION
Is DISCUSSED.
A Well Known Writer Says
Some Things About 1t.
HE HAS A HAPPY VEIN
And Gets Some New Ideas and Some
Advanced Thoughts From People
with Whom He Con-
yerged.


helps, wherever it comes from, and
so we must put this consideration out
Of the question altogether.
Let us also say, and at once, too, that
If man finds happiness in matrimony,
marriage will help him, whatever his
position may be; but happiness, too,
helps wherever 1t comes from, and so
we must put this consideration out of
the question also.
And, before answering the question,
or, rather, before presenting argu-
ments both in the affirmative and IN
the negative, We must examine the
different positions that a man may oc-
cupy in life.
In commercial pursuits marriage will
help a man. If money making is the
chief concern of his life an attentive,
interested and saving wife will enable
a man to devote all his mind to bust
ness, and, by careful management of
her house. will also enable him to
amass wealth.
II a man holds a post of response
bility, government one for example,
in the diplomatic service, in the civil
service, in the church, in the univer-
sity professions, a wife possessed of at
will help him, for let us remember that,
in England as well as in all countries
where it is sought to always appoint the
right man in the right place before de-
Gliding on a candidate fcr an important
vacant post, the first question that Is
asked is: What kind Of a wife has he
got? The kind of wife that will help
such a man is the one tha. will help
}, toll, i,1N H.,
wire-pulling, If you like.
Now, if interviewers set any value on
their comfort, nay their lives, l advise
them to avoid this topic, for the ques-
tion is not only very big one, but a
very uncomfortable one indeed, consid-
ering that the very men who are call
ed upon to answer it must naturally be
married men.
To prove this I will in a few words
put down little conversation I quite
recently had on the subject over a cup
of tea with a charming English lady.
But" she said, you do not answer
my question: Does marriage help a
MANI"
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. 1t
depends great deal on the profession
or calling of a man."
W. ell, d LOT instance.
Yes" I said, marriage helps a doc
tor; it stamps him respectable and
many women wont consult a doctor
unless they know that he is a married
man; but white hair will help him quite
as much"
THAT is not very promising" said the
lady.
WELL" replied, ''let US try again."
Surely women can do much to in
spire, to encourage man whatever his
work may be-"
Yes, a sympathetic woman can do
a great deal; but it is very difficult to
quite determine what effect her help
may have upon her husbands work
during the various critical periods of
his career. There may have been days
when, without her encouragement, lie
would have lost faith in himself, but
such cases are rare. Then you speak of
artists, Of people who live by praise,
feed on it. 1 have known painters who
looked for and found such encourage
ment from their wives. On ,Ie other
hand have known others who sought
solitude when at work, men who could
not have expressed their message, un-
less alone with their art. have known
authors who looked for inspiration from
their wives, or thought they did, and
/ have known others who could not do
a stroke Of work unless they were abso-
lutely left alone with their thoughts"
But If wife makes a man happy,
that alone, surely, helps him."
"Of course 1t does, but the married
man has far greater responsibilities
than the single one, and he may be
obliged to produce for the sake of fill
ing many little hungry mouths. And
another thing, you must remember that
the single man can command the in
terest of a greater number Of women
who would not care to be interested in
his wife, and very few wives will real
ize that they may not be as interest
ing as their husbands. This will cause
trouble, unpleasantness at least, and
stand in the way of mans success"
"Then," said the lady, 'let us change
the question, does marriage hamper a
mani"
Undoubtedly there are professions
which seem to necessitate bachelorhood,
where marriage is not only no help, but
a handicap. A soldier, for instance,
should not marry, for a married soldier,
good fighting man though he may be,
never can forget that wife and perhaps
little ones are at home"
II take it," said the lady interloc-
utor, that you do not adv ocate mar
riage for the rising poet, painter, dra-
matist, or novelist"
= II do not advocate marriage for any
man who has the artistic temperament
strongly developed. The man who Is
strong enough to achieve great things
is strong enough to achieve them alone,
that is. unless he is fortunate enough to
meet an exceptional woman. Lord By
ron said that nothing can inflict greater
torture upon woman than the mere
fact Of loving poet. This is not due 10
the heartless or deliberate cruelty Of
the poet. He himself is to be pitied for
being martyr, the slave of art. 1t Ii
the natural depth Of poets emotions.
Of an artists temperament, to fall In
love with every lovely woman. The
higher we rise in the intellectual scale.
VI q vsn., IL.