The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1907-01-10
LOVE AND MARRIAGE
WEDDINGS OF CONVENIENCE
AMONG THE POOR.
In Union Of Wealthy Couples True
Love Is More often the Motive
Than People Think, Declares
Margaret Sangster.
BY MARGARET e. sANosTER.

as our country is concerned, is an ex-
otto. Abroad, in those European coun-
tries where parents arrange marriages
for tier children with financial con-
siderations influencing the contract,
such marriages are by no means un-
common. In the old lands of the east,
ancient customs still prevail, and al
though oriental parents may not know
the phrase, they have the thing itself,
English speaking people, as a rule,
care great deal for sentiment. Those
who have had opportunities for OBJ
servation, insist that Englishmen are
more romantic and make love with
more passionate fervor than Ameri-
cans, although there is greater pru-
dence on the part of the English in
arranging for the future in the matter
of settlements than has ever been the
fashion here.
For example, an English mother
takes for granted the fact that her
young daughters will attract men who
shall desire to marry them. With
wise tact she does what she can to
bar the path of detrimentals and to
insure her girls against falling in love
with men who may not be able to sup
port them in comfort II, however
the love-making occurs in defiance of
her precautions, she is not averse to
an engagement, with marriage some
distance in the future.
Young people across the sea often
wait patiently for years until the time
comes when they may marry with the
prospect of living and bringing up a
family in responsibility and independ-
ence.
With us, among very young people,
there is often little discretion and lit
tie notion Of what expenses marriage
may bring. AS years multiply, people
grow prudent. A man of 80 and wo-
nan of % are much more likely to con-
slider ways and means than girl of
Is and youth of 81. To the latter,
twelvemonth appears big piece cut
out of life, and they have no patience
to wait until the man is earning
enough to support wife and children.
Perhaps this republic is the only spot
on the civilized globe where people
rush into marriage without the refiec-
ton that marriage is the founding of
family, and that children are sure,
or almost sure to come, bringing with
them their claims and the manifold
expenses that will increase from in
fancy to adolescence.
While marriage should never be for
an instant thought of unless there is
true love to bind the parties In union
that only death can break, still love by
itself will not build fire or pay rent
or provide meals. Love is enough for
happiness, and happiness cannot exist
without it. and yet there is always
danger that love may wither like a
flower parched and athirst, if the strain
of poverty be too great.
Speaking of the strain Of poverty, 1t
is less dreaded by the extremely poor,
whose requirements are few, than by
acting.
A writer on social topics described,
| year or two ago, what she called a
marriage of convenience In the East
Side of New York. The two young
people were a newsboy and an orphan
girl The latter had been turned adrift
by an old woman who had brought her
up. She had nowhere to go, and John,
who was her lover. had nowhere to
take her, but he managed to secure q
tiny lodging in a tenement and, with
a cot and a washstand, secondhand
stove, and an empty soap box for a
chair, they started housekeeping, hay
ing gone to magistrate and been
married This was a marriage of con-
venience on the lowest plane.
In society of different order and
higher type, marriages of convenience
are frankly spoken of by friends and
relatives. although delicacy may draw
/ a veil over the revelations of families
Immediately involved. There are es
tates that, in the view of proyideni
| parents, should be united, and when
| the heir to one marries the heiress Of
another an ideal contamination seems
to be reached. Wealth, with some sen
timental exception, is attracted TO and
by wealth. The sou Of Q rich man 4