The San Francisco call., 1910-09-04

When 1T is an assured fact that another
childbirth win cost the mother her life.
then the husband often interferes for
her. Yet know women who take even
this risk
How long had 1 known my husband
before we were married? About ..
year by letter five days by actual per-
sonal acquaintance. For the nrrs
months preceding our marriage I did
not see him at all. and then I travelled
5000 miles to marry him within six
hours of my arrival We had six hours
for repentance and decided to hold to
our bargain. and 1 loved. honored and
obeyed and was loved and cherished.
Never for day have 1 regretted what
I did.
Has marriage fully come up to my
expectations? What L have written.
1 have written 1 don't see how T
could possibly have expected more
than I got, unless, of course. I de-
manded wealth. ease and selfish pleas
ure. We did not have mucA ef taezS.
but then. we dld not expect to have
them. All the things I ever really
wanted most in life 1 believe I have
had-health. love. good name. the
cOmradeship of noble men and women.
a home, a boy and a girl and courage
enough to face the black moment when
it came. Yes, marriage fully came up
to my expectations.
Would 1 do it over again? If might
meet the same man again I would do
1t tomorrow, 1 can not think OF any
thing better than to have him back
What made our life together happyf
Why, being just ourselves. of course.
Il shall try TO Go all / can to please
you, he said to me before We were
married. but when ! think a thing is
right / shall do it whether you like
it or not" think il was that-an
adherence to a higher ideal of duty and
service than even our mutual love
that made every step Of the way such
firm treading- We were good comrades
in everything. / was his equal in
scholarship and could appreciate his
special pursuits And 1 could tramp a
trout stream in the rain or climb a
mountain with him. and did my full
share Of work. asking little odds be-
cause l was a woman Whatever IL
was. il was not prosperity. We began
on $500 year. and for two years we
had only about $500 TO live on, and
two children. 1t had TO lie in our
selves if we made Joy out of life, as
we did. Good luck was just coming
to US when he died.
What advice would i give to a young
man or woman about to marry? Why.
very little, I think. If they are worth
anything. they are playing their own
hand. The good advice ought 20 come
a long way back, when they are 10,
and marriage looks 10 some one else's
adventure, and they may. with the wis
dom Of youth, profit by what they see
and hear. Those who are Just about TO
marry are usually both blind and deaf.
or won't thank you for interference.
If they are of the right sort however.
what was bred in them Will fight for
them, and the boy reared to reverence
what is pure will demand and get a
sweet, pure girl; and the girl of re-
finement II left to her own selection.
will take a man whose mind mates
hers. Marriage fCf an automobile. or
its equivalent. is not properly marriage
a all but the legal contract in which
the woman barters the use of her body
for some material comfort. This is not
ma rriage. 1t is legalized prostitution,
and it is the confusion Of this with
proper marriage that makes you ask
such a question as whether marriage
is a failure.
There is bit OF advice which I
think is timely. To the young woman.
I think I would say: DO not marry
a man whom you do not fully intend
to obey; the man you can not trust
yourself TO obey you do not love. or you
love with mere foolish passion. II
you really love the man and have
shown any wisdom in your choice, you
will be willing to obey him. If you
halt at the obeying, stop and find out
why you are marrying him at all"