New-York tribune., 1901-10-11
MARRIAGE AND OTHER CONTRACTS
A RECENT EXPERIMENT WHICH PROMISES
TO BE OF SOCIOLOGICAL VALUE.

Sociologists have long been seeking some ef-
fectual method of dealing with love- in view OF
its disorderly habit of laughing at locksmiths.
its inventive genius in finding a way, it's elusive
ness in flying out at the window on the appear
ance of poverty at the door and other habits
which make it peculiarly difficult Of manage
ment. Now an unexpected hope appears. 1t
may not be safe to depend too much on it tin
after thorough investigation. but there IS an
indication that love has some respect for the
courts.
A certain theatrical manager has just an
nounced his engagement to marry his leading
woman. 1t may be remarked in passing that in
the most busnesslike theatrical circles it is re
garded bad policy for manager TO marry
his leading woman but that has nothing TO do
with the scientific point under discussion. The
interest of science is centred in the way in which
this manager captured the leading woman from
a rival lover.
The manager made a contract with the actress
70 manage her for two years 1t was stipulated
in the contract that she must not be married
while the contract existed. This is not un-
usual clause In such contracts. Managers gen
orally regard married women. and especially
newly married women less desirable on the
stage than simple maidens and it is generally
understood that such a provision this in a
contract IS not much to keep the actress from
.marrying-which would be unusual. not TO say
cruel when two hearts have actually set IN
AT beating as one-as to enable the manager TO
be rid of the contract if the actress should be
so defiant as to break this clause.
In this case a lover soon appeared, and, as II
to make the scientific experiment the more con-
elusive he was a Spanard Now, Spain is just
the nation which stage writer's seek when they
want lover who is hre-eater' VINO means ans
business who will have what he is after ana
will not stand any nonsense except MS own
But when this actress told this manager tiat
she was going to be married TO this Spaniard
the manager calmly went to court and got an
Injunction restraining him from marrying her
and her from being married 10 him. rms proves
that locksmithS and contracts are TWO thlnsS
and that injunctions are quite another' lo'
neither the love nor the lover laughed at tliS'
but the lover got on board big ship ana went
home and the actress went on actlhs, ana no"
the manager says that he is going to marry her
himself .
The value of the incident to society Is OBVIOUS.
for a lover who discovers tnat ne mas
4 rival will now be make contract with the
desired one that she shall not marry, and then
he will enioin the rival from marrying her
caution is advisah bile in one particular IL was
recently reported that another prominent actress
was engaged 10 her leading man; but he, on oe-
ing questioned said that it was 1mposslb'e' as
her contract forbade her to be married. ana She
could not be married to him any more tIah u
ANYBODY else. 1t would doubtless pe easy Ioi
clever lawyer to draw a contract whlch Wou.u
forbid a marriage with the wrong man anu pVi
nit it with the right one