Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-31
DAILY STORY
THE MARRIAGE LAW OF 1875.

trict courts were instituted with &
view 10 promote marriage, prevent un
fortunate matches and mate only
healthy persons. The court was given
power to order marriages and to refuse
applications to marry. A couple or
dered TO marry must appear before the
clerk of the court within thirty days
after the serving of the order and be
married by him in civil form. Couples
marrying without or in defiance of
permission of the court were by virtue
of such disobedience divorced without
process of law.
The law was popular with all think
ing men over forty and with all elder
ly women who had not entered into
the matrimonial state. 1t was only OPP
posed by young people to whom appli-
cations were refused and whose appli-
cations it was admitted by every one
else should be refused. At first it
seemed to be working well. No brib-
cry or corruption of the court officials
was possible. The sentiment of all
right minded people being in favor Of
it. the indictments did not lift Il voice
that when Il couple comes into that
condition called love" they are If op
posed like stream of water seeking
an outlet. Water will not always flow
openly on firm ground. 1t is constant
ly looking for some weak spot which It
will cover up. then proceed 10 soften.
bore, widen, till at last it has found
the coveted outlet. So ii is with lovers.
They will always choose undetermined
means
The beneficent law of government
ownership of its propagators came to
grief by means of this yelled trickery
of young lovers who had either been
refused certificates or were ordered 10
mate with proper persons, or both.
Many were astonished that there was
no evidence of opposition from this
class. The fact was these young peo-
pie of blighted pedigree We're secretly
undermining the operation of the law.
1t was the Blythe Tomlinson. Har-
vey- Erskine cases that opened the peo-
pies eyes and caused all investigation
which revealed more duplicity, more
subtle evasion OF the marriage law
than was discovered by our ancestors
in the management OF their life insur-
ance companies.
The following order was promulgat-
ed III district No. 57,493:
First. - The application of William
Blythe to marry Rebecca Tomlinson is
refused.
Second.-The application of John Har-
yey to maIty Jane E,rskine is refused.
Third.-John Harvey is ordered to mar
~ Rebecca Tomlnson.
The records OF the hereditary depart
ment show that there was excessive
temper in William Blythes family, his
mother having fractured his fathers
skull with n rolling pin. 1t is also re-
corded that Jane Erskine's father died
while trying to win bet that he could
drink a gallon of whisky within one
hour The hereditary records of John
and Rebecca Tomlinson were
perfect. Never was a matrimonial or
der better calculated not only TO pro-
mote the ultimate happiness of the par
ties concerned, but of generations I'M
suit from the union OF these two per-
fectly healthy persons, the descendants
Of perfectly healthy parents.
1t was the thirtieth day after John
had been ordered to marry
Tomlinson, hot day in June.
that a couple stepped into courtroom
No. 81, 493 and passed up to the clerks
desk. They had evidently come to be
for they were dressed in their
best and the bride carried bunch of
violets. The clerk, an elderly man, who
had been doing in his chair, reused
himself and asked:
What names. pleaseP'
John Harvey and Rebecca Tomlin-
son." replied the groom.
who will identify you as such?'
"Our identifiers will be here in a
Won't you have a Whit Of my vio-
ets?" said the bride, smiling sweetly
at the old clerk.
She poked the flowers under his nose;
ne drew a long draft and felt pleasur
able sensations. Then another couple |
came in and identified the first. John |
Harvey" said the man voucher, point |
ng with one thumb to the groom and |
with the other to himself. Then the |
attendant repeated the process |
'or the bride. The clerk felt mist |
coming before his eyes and. hurrying |
through the simple ceremony, pro- |
,ounced the candidates man and wife. |
The party of four left the courtroom,
,ut in n few minutes returned to the
,lerk, who was sinking into dream
and. The two vouchers stood in the
place of bride and groom and asked to
,e married.
what name?"
"Jobn Harvey-Rebecca Tomlinson."
"Why, L married that couple" said Il
he clerk, vainly trying to fix his eyes
II his record. The woman he had just
married showed her violets under his Il
lose, and he felt himself near
oporif1c collapse. He concluded he d
4 1