Imperial Valley press., 1911-11-21
ATwentieth Century
Marriage Contract
BY EDNA PHILLIPS
BY EDNA PHILLIPS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Marriage in one respect is very differ
ent from what it was century ago
Then there was one head to the fami-
~. the husband. Now. 1t Is claimed.
nine-tenths of the young women Of the
world. including the wealthy classes,
work. This educates them to q self
dependence Of which their grandmoth-
ars knew nothing.
Charlotte Blake was one Of these
girls who worked. Work to her was
not necessary. Her father was abun-
dainty able to support her, but she
could not brook idleness. She possess
ed a good voice and would have liked
to 60 on the stage had her father not
objected. AS 1t was. she gave music
lessons. But when she engaged her
self to Henry Pomeroy her lover OBJ
jected to her doing anything whatever.
SO she gave up teaching.
She had been engaged several months
without hearing anything from her
fiance as to their marriage, and, time
hanging heavy on her hands, she spoke
to him about the matter.
I'm getting things into shape for
that" he said. Leave it to me- Just
as soon as I'm ready III let you know"
"Do you propose always to keep
your affairs to yourself?"
why would you wish to hear about
them? You wouldn't understand them,
and your opinions upon them would
only bother me. I'm like horse used
to mountain trail. Give him his
head and he'll carry you safely. Try
to guide him and he'll spill you"
This was all that was said about the
matter at the time. Miss Blake con-
tinued to do nothing, while Mr.. Pom
eroy pursued the even tenor Of his
way without mentioning his affairs to
her. He was devoted to her In other
respects. taking her to the theater, to
drives and affording her other amuse-
ments. Indeed. he treated her in the
old fashioned way, as his father had
treated his mother. as his grandfather
had treated his grandmother.
But Charlotte lived in a different
mother. She had been developed. She
was itching to assume her part of the
family headwork. Self control was
one Of the features Of this develop
ment, and that self control enabled
her. having spoken once on the mat
ter that most interested her, to refrain
from doing 80 again. Nevertheless.
there was smoldering fire within.
Miss Blake was a representative of the
twentieth century woman.
Meanwhile the flowers came regular
ly, and her fiance was not sparing OF
his invitations. AS to the flowers. she
sent them to an invalid whom she re.
garded her especial protege, and some
| Of the invitations she declined. These
methods of courtship did not interest
| her. Pomeroy, not having risen to
modern methods, knew of no other
way to show his devotion. while she,
being a modern girl, had no use for at
tentions in vogue half a century be-
FORE ~
One evening Pomeroy appeared at
her home and said: Il am happy to an
nounce that my affairs are now in con
dition to take you from your father
and support you in the same style as
that to which you have been accus'
toned"
What am I to do?"
What are you to do? don't under.
stand you." X
Il infer from what you say that you
will be able to hire the best of serv-
ants, who will take every care Of the
house l see nothing to occupy me.
My mind will be a. vacuum"
What have ladies always done"
Il am not concerned with that.
have never considered marriage even
in the present day. only know that
am woman: have earned sutti-
cheney to take care Of myself and don't
need any one to take care Of me. If
| could be. as a married woman, a
partner in my husbands affairs sup
pose l should be interested in matr1-
mony. AS it is, don't think I have
any use for it." :
The lover stood aghast. and his fan
Gee continued: "a, =.
81 have. found the period of engage
ment insipid.. You. have sent me 6ow-
ers and theater tickets. only won
dered that you didn't send me doll.
Now you propose to set me up in your
home as wax figure under a glass
cover. decline the honor. am about
to sign contract to goson the stage.
I'm going to try; Occupying myself in
the profession of music for two years.
bit LAIN practieal.>enough to realize
that if | once enter upon that profes-
sion / shall doubtless follow it as long
as my voice lasts. That is what 9th
ers have done. and see no reason why
| should be an exception"
Pomeroy was so taken aback that for
awhile he did not know what to say.
1T seems to me-. he said finally.
that you are proceeding as much too
fast as am too slow. see that i am
not up to date in the matter Of court
ship or in my estimate of the modern
position of a wife. Il viii meet you
halfway will take you as a part
ner as well as one to love If you will