The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-04-22

versed. Marriage is a civil contract, in.
Vo1Ving fees and legislation; SO is di-
Vorce. The first is contracted, perhaps
niindly, always hopefully; if ha bits. tenn
peraments, disposition, or other good
reason prove it a failure, divorce is the
legitimate avenue Of escape
The trouble isl said Mr.. Thorpe,
that people marry without due con-
sideration, believing that they can get
a divorce if they are not satisfied"
i don't believe any such f~oolishness.
l don't believe that any two people ever
uttered the marriage VOWS with any
such reserve purpose in view. l don't
DelleVe that any marriage is not based
on affection. Of course, it may not be
aHectlon; but SO long as they think
II is, they are about as we'll Off"
lhey wouldn't be so ready to get
married if there were no such thing as
divorce" urged Mr.. Thorpe.
1heyd get married just the same.
Ihey couldn't help it. 1t is something
that gets into the blood and can't be got.
ten out IN any other way. And when
they get enough Of each other, and are
weary OF their contract, there is peren-
NAL discord, and oftentimes suicide and
murder. The marriage contract is the
only n that cannot be broken by hon.
orable course of legal procedure without
the askance glance of public disap-
prevail"
In Canada, where there were only
IA divorces last year, the families are
happy
/ happen to know a woman who con-
ducts a mail order business. and the let
tiers that come to her from the wives of
Canada are the most hopelessly rebel
llous that could be conceived. l should
Judge from these pitiful plants that the
happy families of Canada last year were
the IA who got divorces"
For every broken home, there is n
broken heart" said Mr.. Thorpe.
For every home that ought to be
broken and isn't" said Mrs. Thorpe,
"there are two broken hearts. Only the
finite mind is changeless. God made us
amenable to the flesh and it's weaknesses
and He did not devise marriage as a tor
ment. 1t is the sweetest blessing He
mas bestowed on humanity, and so long
as it remains a blessing it has Divine
approval; but when the sweetness has
turned to gall, it would be flying in the
face OF nature and establishing a prece-
dent to preserve the spirit as we'll as
the letter Of it. In short, my beloved
Harold, | have come to the conclusion
that life is too short to be unhappy in.
| love you, and want to live with you.
doing my whole duty, and you doing
yours, and hen some; but if | should
discover that we two had grown ire
trievably asunder, l would consider that
we were divorced in the sight Of Heaven,
and go after alimony."
Il suppose you'd marry AGAIN."
Il certainly would. l may think l
wouldn't, but at the same time | know |
would, and SO does anybody. We're just
human, poor us; there's one reason God
loves us. n don't see why we
shouldn't love each other. Most of us
do"
You would probably think two years
a good while to waltz"
"Candidly, l don't understand the
motif for the sentence. When a man is
dead, he's as dead as he'll ever be; and
when he's divorced, he's as divorced as
he'll ever be. l don't see what concern
IL L VI LIZ SIdtc WLSIl1cI ne uldillGS Ut
works for his living"
Il am very much panied and shocked
that my wife should hold such uncon-
ventional views. How long have you
been wanting to be free, my LADY,"
Il haven't wanted to be free. l have
only thought it might be best. Best for
you, because you have a future, and II
have only my past, SO far. You are still
a young man. You are interesting and
1;. ~