The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-03-06
TIT ANTlD0TE FOR DIVORCE

We'll, why shouldn't we pay a high
price for being married?" protested h
Bachelor Girl. WED prize our We'd
ding certificates more if they weren't
cheaper than the fancy post cards that
are given away with every pound OF
tea or the Sunaay newspaper. Its be
marriage always has been given,
away free, instead of being held at 4
premium, that il is going out of fash
ion. When cheesecloth was first in.
vented smart people used to make
frocks of it; but now that it's only 3,
cents a yard they use it for dishcloths.
What everybody can get nobody wants.
It's the thing we can't afford that we
always Sigh for and value when we
do get II. If matrinony was more diff
cult to get into We wouldn't be SO anN-
ious to get out of 1t. What we need
is not more anti-divorce laws, but IL
few anti-marriage laws that would
make people think twice before they
get married once. And then, as for
aivorce"-thc Bachelor Girl waved her
there wouldn't be any,"
"Wouldnt be any," The Mere Man
looked disappointed.
Not il only the right sort of people
were allowed to marry only the right
sort of people," returned the Bachelor
Girl confidently. "Besides." she added.
raising the price and the difficulties of
divorce will only make ii more fash
ionable. The best way to make 1t I'M
popular would be TO make it SO cheap
that every serNan girl could have her
decree framed and hanging ON the
wall"
And then" declared the Mere Man.
no real lady would be caught with one
around the house"
OF course" agreed the Bachelor Girl,
divorces would 81 out of fashion as
quickly as flare hats and spotted wells
and erminiva. If husbands n wives
were as difficult to get and as easy to
get rid Of as Il good cook, we'd all treat
them with the same deferenc. and con-
sideration that we now show TO the
lady of the kitchen. Instead of being
anxious to part With them we'd be
afraid of losing them. It's because the
cords of matrilnony bind too tight that
we long to break them. If they just
rung around us in a casual s%lip-knot,
that was easily slipped. we'd be holding
them on with both hands,
Yes" acquieSccd the Mere Man Gag
crly, "if all Il man had TO do was to go
down and get Il divorce license as he
now does u marriage liceSse his wife
having the dinner hot when he got
home and putting on her best frock
and curling her hair and holding her
tongue and her temper n the baby"
And if all a woman had to do was
to give notice when she wanted to re-
sign her position her husband would
think twice before he Joined Il club. or
refused her q new hat. or went around
without his ollar If marriage were
more of a privilege and less of n duty
and husbands and wives We're Just
leased out on probation or good beilav-
Tor we'd treat them AS carefully as we
do n borrowed book or a borrowed
punch bowl"
, Instead of like an ola shoe or the
family door mat" finished the Mere
IL Man And laf " ln. af11nJ wifi, =, SSu1,
of satisfaction. ITS nice TO think that
all a chap has to do in order to get the
girl he wants is TO slip around to the
city hall"
Then why have you never o ito"
demanded the Bachelor Girl. pushing
back her pompadour and sitting up
suddenly With "a challenging glance.
:, Il don't know" began the Mere Man,
lamely, "beeause-because-
II do!' retorted the Bachelor Girl.
For the same reason that people who
live in New York never go to Brooklyn.
, ana people who live in South Chicago
never go To North Chicago-because it's
too easy"
"Whati"
because YOU know perfectly well
that the city hall and the license will
. always be accessible and waiting. But
if they We're as expensive and as hare
to get at as Europe or South America
/. or The North Pole you'd be saving your
} Hio.eS anu De llldhlllS your plans This
minute
II ann" broke in the Mere Man des.
perately. II have been for years.
> For years?'
But the plans always change"
"~Change?"
with the girl" explained the Mere
, Man. And every tim they put a new
nail in the door of divorce | get a new
y inspiration 1o-stay on the safe side
+ and he lit II cigaret. shuddering.
And yet sighed the Bachelor Cir
j. p~ensiNely, studying her patent leathe,
, toes on the fender, only last night you
were coaxing me-
, II wasn't" protested the Man. with
, apprehension in his eyes.
, You were trying to persuade me-
> THAT you'd look we'll in white" In.
! terrupted the Mere Man hastily. land
with orange blossoms in your hair anG
r a prayer book in YOU hand. But thai
o was only IA poetic fancy"
TT sounded" murlnured the Racl,elo,
! Girl softly, lust like an offer OF mar.
, riage."
"What!' cried the Man. sitting ur
perfectly straight n putting down hi.
+ cigaret. 10 you suppose I'd offer yor
anything
MI Porter!"
Anything SO cheap?" finished the
Mere Man Indignantly.
q laconic.
From Harper's Weekly.