Evening journal., 1904-08-05

How old was she? The beautiful de-
velopment of figure in the quaint we'd
ding gown, the serenity of brow be-
meath the misty veil, the prayer book
Of meditation in her hand, all bespoke
a woman over 20 years of age, rather
than a girl in her teens-she might /
even be 26
And just then the Governor appear
ed, little surprised and amused at
being called from affairs of state to
pass judgment upon affairs Of the
heart.
His Actual Words.
'wen. you know, that was only /
remark made in a spirit of playfulness 4
and quite without generalization" he
said, "and somewhat misquoted as well. /
What 1 really did say in reference to
matrimony in my address to the young |
lady graduates at the Wilmington High |
School was My advice 10 YOU is not |
to marry too early. If asked the age
when you should marry, 1 should say
26. That was the age of Mrs. Wariield |
when / married her, and have said to
my daughters that l should not give !
my consent to their marrying until !
they arrive at that age The remark |
was on the spur Of the moment
still, ones unpremeditded utter !
ances are usually the crystallization Of
definite conviction, Governor. and why
did you say 26? And why do you dis
approve Of early marriages?
The Governor paused and laid aside
his previous lightness Of manner. Sc
riously speaking" he said, Il do think
that many lives are made failures by
ters have been formed. You know
whom first we love we rarely we'd.
This is a very true saying. Young
people are impressionable and romantic
and, if left to their own free will, are
apt to rush into matrimony without
properly considering the grave respon-
sibilities OF married life. Many cases
have come under my observation where
youthful and hasty marriages have re-
suited in unhappiness. discomfort and
lives of drudgery. The old saying.
Marry m haste and repent at leisure.
proves too often true. Young men and
women should remember that the ro-
mantle attachments of youth are not
generally lasting.
Not Laying Down Iron Clad Rules.
Il would not wish to be regarded as
laying down iron-clad rules concern
ing the exact age when a girl should
marry; 1t might be at %. "a. 25 or 26
years-it all depends upon the physical
and mental development OF the girl /
meant rather to indicate that a girl
should not marry until she was over
p and of an age to comprehend the re-
sponsibility of the marriage state and
to make an intelligent choice of the
man whose companionship will be
either a help or hindrance to her life
There are many serious questions to
be considered in deciding upon this
most important step. Health. heredity
environment, taste, social tendencies,
all should be carefully weighed if a
! happy married life is desired Girls
should not be carried away with the
good looks and fascinating manners of
men. The man a girl would marry
when she leaves school is usually not
the man she would select after she has
seen more of the world"
Answers Question.
do you not think. Governor. that
mothers of the twentieth century are in
a measure prone to feel that their first
duty to a debutante daughter is to get
her comfortably settled in life through
marriage, and that fathers, unless they
be very wealthy. fear 10 die and leave
their daughter unprovided for?"
The Governor shook his head. Mar
riage for the purpose Of settling a
daughter in life is. as a rule a fail
ure and an unhappy one. No parent,
and especially no true and loving moth
er, will wish to push her daughter into
matrimony before she Is fully matured
and fitted for the grave responsibilities
Of married life. Young girls just out OF
school are equipped for the ordinary
household duties of wives and for the
cares and trials of motherhood. They
should. after leaving school, spend
some time with their parents. giving
those parents the pleasure OF their
companionship and learning something
of the everyday work that will be
theirs as wives.
The girl who marries too early miss
es many of the pleasures of life. She
is doomed to spend her youthful days
in the trying and taxing cares OF
motherhood and household duties, with
broken health and rundown nerves be.
J fore she has passed out of her teens
Such marriages are unfortunate. They
are entered into without due consid
GRAFTON, and, frequently, before th'
husband has fully established his bust
ness ability and the earning capacity
that win enable him to provide for thu
increasing wants of married life. Girl
should be taught that there is-more il
life than getting married; that whel
they leave school they owe some ser
vice to their parents and that the.
should spend some of their days il
making the lives of their fathers ant
mothers easier and brighter.
, Advice to Young Men.
: 1.-THE same advice pertains TO younl
men. have known Of cases wher
young men. because they married to
soon and before they had establishe
themselves in permanent positions
were compelled TO give up good op
portunities for advancement becaus
family ties and environments KEEP
: them down to one locality The reali
u zation Of the mistakes Of marrying to
l. eaAy has discoura ged many a youn
man. blasted his future, brought dis