Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-02-06
HAPPY Welded LIFE.
MANY LIVE 1T, BUT ALL HAVE
THEIR DISBURSEMENTS
When the Old Couple at Their Golden
Wedding cay They Have Never Quar-
relied, DO Not Take Statement as Lit
orally True, for They Probab Y Have.

Wedding cay They Have Never Quar-
relied, DO Not Take Statement as Lit
orally True, for They Probab Have.
An old couple in New Jersey recent
ly celebrated the siXty-eighth anniver-
sary of their wedding. The newspaper
reports closed with the statement;
They have never had a quarrel" Ere
Quently, indeed almost invariably,
couples on the occasion of their silver
or golden wedding declare that they
never had a quarrel; that the serenity
Of their companionship never has been
interrupted 10y harsh words or the most
trivial pickering.
Never give any credit to such state
ments. The persons who make them
may really believe them at the time,
as warmth and kindness of infatuation
intensified by the occasion corrupt the
memory of aged couples and move
them TO boast of their good fortune. No
one should criticise this failing, which
is harmless and even beautiful but
which nevertheless is treason of the
cold truths. The old man sits at the
head of the table with his old wife AT
his side. Both have been toasted and
it is necessary to reply. He rises and
says: I'VE have lived together for
half century and have never quar-
reled," and the good wife, in her black
gown and her best laces, beams on her
children. her grandchildren and assem-
bled friends, and confirms the false
hood with a nod
Frequently, too, younger couples cir
culate the same fiction about them
selves In company they are very de-
voted to each other. She continually
gives him playful fiillips on the cheek,
and dearest" is the coldeSt name by
which he addresses her. From their
own stories it appears that their mar
ried life has been uninterrupted beauti-
tude They bask in each other
glances and are exalted, transtigured
by love.
Other young couples who are fond
Of each other and who get on very well
together, though not without little
quarrels, may behold how extremely
peaceably the first young couple dwell
together. Perhaps young wife will
accuse herself of being too quick of
temper and too sharp Of tongue Per
haps both will think that their mar
riage has not been as successful as IL
might have been. Then they may put
their arms about each other, deplore
past quarrels and past hardships, re-
new their vows of love and resolve to
make the future atone for what cannot
be undone,
Such self-crminations will do no
harm. Such renewals of the vows of
affection will make a day or a week
more pleasant, perhaps. than it would
have been. 1t is well for husband and
wife now and then to beg pardon of
each other. But no young couple should
believe that, because they fall out once
in while, exchange sharp words, lose
their tempers and spoil dinner by
quarrellng, their marriage Is failure;
a failure, at least, by comparison.
Nothing could be more untrue or more
unjust to themselves. All married
couples have had their little chickering's,
and when any couple say they have
lived together fifty years, or even ten
years, without quarrel, they are
either the one exceptional couple out
Of one thousand or they say what is
not true. True, the husband may never
have attempted to stab his wife, nor
the wife plotted to poison her husband,
but be sure they have more than once
scolded each other, taunted each other,
been angry at each other and. in short,
quarreled outright with each other.
They have been reconciled, of course;
their life together has been harmonious,
except for occasional dscords; they
really love each other; but believe this,
they have had their quarrels. San
Francisco Bulletin.