The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-06
sALARIEs AND WIVES.

At what stage of the commercial
game should man yield to the yearn-
ings of his heart and launch himself
upon the sea of matrimony? The an
swer is too comprehensive to be readily
applicable to specific cases, for about
the best that we can give is
that it all depends upon the man and
the woman most seriously concerned.
In some one of his fables George AIDE
has said that the average love-sick
springal is ready to plunge as soon as
he has amassed a "Wad that would
Unroll about $500 and was drawing $50
the first of every Month through the
little hole the Cashier sits behind"
Was that student of human nature,
which he attractively displays in slang,
correct? Very probably he did not
miss the average case very far.
In the abstract. love in a cottage does
not strongly appeal. Reduced to the
concrete, however, it seems attractive
enough to the young man and the
young woman, who feel that they, of
all the world, are for each other. They
are usually ready to brave the proverb
that declares that love flies out at the
window when poverty comes in at the
door.
The young man who starts for him
self in the world usually regards a
salary of 800 month but little short
of princely. That attained he thinks he
would believe that he had reached a DO
sition of affluence that would admit of
his indulgence in almost any extrava-
gance. Even the idea of a wife would
not appall him. If however.
during the period when he is
earning salary between $50
and 500 month he has not
fallen so violently in love that he has
taken the all important step, he has
probably fixed some other amount men,
tally as that upon which he would like
to undertake the marriage contract.
That hight having been mounted, he
fixes another and presently he finds
himself a confirmed bachelor, not
through any inherent desire, but as
much through habit as. anything else.
Looking before you leap is proverbial
wisdom that is applicable to matri-
mony as well as to other matters of
life, but if it were the guiding princi-
pie there would not be quite SO many
marriages. A young man and young
woman usually decide that the present
salary is sufficient. and, confident in
the groom's determination to win in
his struggle with the world, place a
beautiful faith in the future and go
ahead. In those cases where the groom
is the right sort and the bride a fit
helpmate, they fare we'll enough.
In the Canadian army there is a reg
ulation forbidding a lieutenant to mar
ry before he has spent at least six
years in the service. Even then he
cannot marry unless he can show that
irrespective of his pay, he has means
sufficient on which to support wife
This official view of the matter of mat
rimony would be too severe if applied
to civil life. Many a young civilian,
of just the social position, the culture
and the rearing of the class of which
the average army officer is a part, mar
ries when he earns no more than does
a lieutenant. With him, as with the
lieutenant, promotion comes, enabling
him to meet growing expenses. In the
| United States army not a few young
| lieutenants marry with no other means
| than their pay. Many grizzled colo
mel or general will say that he did, &C
eompanying it with a by CAD, sir, il
was the proper thing to do, too"