The Detroit times., 1910-05-23
nv w G SHEPHERD.

and Mary Maxwell have passed tne
Mace where their marriage seems
matter-offact. Indeed. now that they
are In the SEVENTEEN year of their
welded life their love OF 40 years
seems 10 them as wonderful as IL ulu
at ftrst. To us OF 1910 II Is marVeious'
One woman-one man for oS years.
They sit together in the parlor' sue
by side, and tell about 1t.
Perhaps the old theory is true, tnat
a man and his wife grow TO look ailke'
but 1t IL not the case with this couple
who have been welded more years
than any other couple on record IN
the United States. Her eyes are bright
and blue; her hair is white. His eyes
are dark and a little heavy. and MS
hair Is still well sprinkled with BLACK.
His tricks OF facial expression ana
speech are not hers. She never ala
try. to be like a man. No sunraget
business for her. You make her tro"h
by mentioning 1t.
He Is "a years old; she is 80. They
swere married April 20, lS4l.
"You remember when you pro-
lposed?" you ask the man. He doesn't
Reeu old; he drives to town, alone,
livery day.
4 mo" he says, mischievously.
sFatherip comes chidingly from her,
as che looks at the company, with
smile-coyered face. He does remem-
Der" she explains. at was In June,
1s39--one evening at the fence"
King Edward was baby then.
Theodore Roosevelt had not been
born. How many millions have lived
and loved and welded and borne chil-
dren, and seen them become men and
women and then passed out into eter-
nifty since that soft June evening In
the Genesee valley? Seventy Junes
have followed, and yet you hear these
two tell with their own lips OF that
star-blessed evening, and see them sit
ting before you. side by side. smiling
with happiness because, so long ago,
she said "yes."
II whispered It," she explains, al
most blushingly.
What a potent whisper. to cover 20
years
But their love affair was longer than
40 years.
Il was 10 when he proposed to me-"
she SAYS. But | loved him when he
a
was four years older than /, and
thought him very smart"
Mother"
well, when | was Is years old
we'd known each other ever since We
were born--I knew loved him"
That was in 1895.
Haliey's comet swung by US in that
year. Now 1t is back again, and she
still loves him. There's a wonder OF
love for you-a love that lasts through
the cycle Of a comet
yes" she goes on, II used TO sit
in church and look at the back OF
James head more than did at the
preachers face. And I used TO worry
about 1t. too"
.She needn't have worried" you
hear him say IL had my eye set on
. her when she was only about IL years
old"
That was back in 1892.
And In these days OF one divorce
(; in II marriages. folks say love doesn't
last.
You ask them whether It does last.
/ You sort Of feel that they have right
to be heard by all the world on that
question.
1T lasts through thick and thin" -
I, says.
why, then, do we have so many di-
!, vorces these days?"
because folks don't marry for love-"
she answers. Il feel sorry for folks
who don't marry though" she adds.
presently.
I She can't see how bachelor "can
keep alive and take care OF himself
without a woman to pick up after
him." but Mr.. Maxwell thinks they
have some use in the world. Their
duty" he says, "is to stand around and
show other men how lop-sided a man
can be without woman"