The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1903-09-22
BARS TO MATRIM0NY
FEAR KEEPS MANY MEN FROM THE
BLISS OF WEoOED LIFE.

lion said n well known lawyer, AS
10 why men are so reluctant to marry
hut one reason never seems to occur to
the spcculntors aud that is that many
Of them are afraid to. No. I am not
joking II II n sober and well con
sidercd statement Of fact, for which I
eau adduCc ~ many proofs as you
want. that many men would almost as
soon think Of patting fierce bull on
the head or facing the midnight bur.
giar rs taking trip to the altar.
Il remember as boy an amusing
specimen of this kind Of man In Iowa.
lie was farmer and was ms notorious
for his amorous cntHnglcmcuts as for
his Ingenuity in getting out Of them
when marriage began to loom near.
~ was said he had been engaged a
dozen times. and though he left all his
haucccs In the lurch hc never found
any difficulty In getting a successor.
One day my father. who was his law
yer. asked him. Why don't you get
married. John2 II isn't for want OF
opportunities. you know, aud It's quite
time you thought of settling down
"'wcll sir John answered, It's this
way You see, like coortlng well
enough but I eau nivvcr summon up
pluck to go any further To tell you
the truth, I'm afenrd Of getting tied
for life 10 one OF EN-
"If you have heard many breach OF
promise suits you will have observed
that this wholesome dread OF matri-
mony is the cause OF good proportion
Of them. though all the defendants
have not the courage to say 50.
zone client OF mine had allowed mat
sers to proceed right TO the eve OF the
wedding day, when he disappeared
mysteriOusly aud was not discovered
for some months The young ludy
promptly sued him for damages for
breach. and at the hearing the reason
> for his conduct came out lie admitted
that he was fond OF the girl, but sun
dry exhibitions Of her temper and jcnl.
ousy which lac had witnessed had so
scared him that he simply hadn't the
courage 20 marry her. I meant to
marry her right enough he said. but
when II came to the point my courage
failed me. aud thought It safer to
bolt
. "In another case In which widow
sued II widower for playing her false
the defendant put in II singular plea. II
seems that the widows family strongly
objected to the match. and as passive
opposition wns useless to prevent IL one
OF the sons. n stalwart young fellow.
ha mid ,,I
told him that IL he persisted in his suit
he Uhc som would give him such a
thrnshing as would effectunlly cure
him of any further sentiment so
what could dor the defendant pathct.
.icaIly asked.
4 "The more one sees behind the scenes
the more one realizes that there Is often
q great deal to bc said for the man who
loves and runs away. one of my clients
a few years ago found himself In an
awkward quandnry lie had engaged
himself to three girls at different times
and. having cancelled his engagements
with two. was on the eve of marrying
No. 3. No sooner was his intention
known than the two Tilted Indies threat.
ened him with legal proceedings II hc
persisted in his proposed marriage, and
the favored lady In turn threatened a
similar fate il hc didn't
"llcrc was dilemma. for whatever
ne did would end uuprnsuutly. How
ever, like prudent man. he decided to
run the smaller risk. lie pacidcd his
two former Gancccs by caucclng his
engagement aud prepared to face the
music of the thrd lady
The mothcr-in.luw is often fatal
diSturbcr of loves young dream. one
breach of promise defendant declared
that hc would willingly have married
the plaintin only he couldn't stand
her mother at any price, and the pros
pect OF having his married happiness
disturbed 10y her interference 50 scared
him that he decided 1t was more pru-
dent 20 break Off the engagements while
another frail lover actually stated in
court that he was afraid to marry the
plaintiG lest she should grow up like
her mother whose tongue and tenn
per had shown him some of the less
desirable possibilities of married life.
"One man whom | defended last year
seems 10 have had constitutional
dread or matrimony. lie had been en-.
gagged to the plaintin no less than nine
years -Four times the wedding day
had been fixed, and rs many times II
was adjourned 10y his wish Finally
hc cried of altogether, aud in court he
declared that, although hc loved the
girl, hc felt hc could never screw up
the courage 10 marry her. When ne
was asked the reason for his dillidcncc
he said that he had seen SO much ot
the unhappy side of married life and
the difference between wooing and
wedding that he didn't feel equal to
running the risk
'Ihcse are but few from scores OF
simimr cases which have come within
my own knowledge One man feared
to face matrlmony on account Of his
hancce's extravaganza, another quaint