The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-19
EVENING CHAT
BY RUTH CAMERON.

During the month that followed the
wedding of one of the girls in our
neighbOrhood the engagements of two
other girls were announced, and
third engagement, which is as yet sec
| ret. was entered into.
THE old French proverb, 'Quand on
ma pas ce qu'on Anne, il faut aimer Sc
qu'on a. says Agnes Repplier, has
married generations of women
That is undoubtedly true.
And equally true it seems to me is
the fact that other girls engagem ent
rings, other girls weddings other girls
dear little homes have wonderfully
helped this proverb in marrying off the
feminine half of the race
Who would dare say that the sight
| of Evangeline's delectable chest of
linen, and of the dainty filmy lingeries,
smart new gowns and heart-satsfying
complete accessories that made up her
trOusseaU did not have somn influence
upon those friends who announced
their engagements so closely upon the
heels of her wedding?
One of these girls 1 happen. to know
has been lowering on the brink of an
engagement, trying to decide if she
really cared enough for the man to
marry him, for over year.
OF course, she may have suddenly
found out that she did care enough
But then again, it isn't impossible, is
necessary by the sight of Evapgelines
pretty things. the lure of her important
position as central figure in a wedding,
and the spell of her happiness?
Unconsciously swayed. L mean, of
course.
| Naturally, no girl is going to say to
herself: II want an enga cement ring
and a trousseau and a wedding and
| little home OF my own like the other
girls, and so I will marry this man
who has asked me to be his wife, even
| though l do not love him.
Usually she mistakes the enticement
of these considerations plus her liking
for the man plus the eternal power of
! sex for real love.
| You think 1 am overrating the in
| fiuence of such things.
Let ne tell you something that a
young married woman told me frankly
during q discussion of this subject
do you know" she said ST think
| it was an open fireplace that really
married me eff. The year before John
and l were engaged a cousin of mine,
about my own age. was married. She
had an adorable little home with a
very attractive living-room and a
beautiful, big. open fireplace. All my
| lite I had wanted a fireplace. and had
never come any nearer to having one
than a gas log. John and 1 were going
about together that winter, and we
used to go to my cousins home a good
deal, and I really think that 1t was be-
cause l thought it would be so lovely
to have a fireplace like theirs and sit
before it in a sort of Hanging of-the-
Crane style, as they did. that 1 finally
consented to marry John"
Of course, I didn't voice the ques-
ton, but am afraid it must have been
in my eyes, for she went on most en-
phatically.
Not that I've ever been sorry. Why.
am as thankful to that fireplace as
can be. Just think, I might not have
my two darling babies and my sweet
little home. and my dear good husban d
If it hadn't been for it's influence. 1t
knew what 1 wanted better than ]
did"
Oh. dear, I'm afraid I've punctured
my moral
You see. started with the firm in
tention CT pointing out the folly of this
kind of marriage, and giving you Mar
Gus Aurelius' sternly beautiful advice:
Love that only which the gods send
thee and which is spun with the thread
of thy destiny
And now I'm not quite certain that
is the best advice for all of US after
all.
Perhaps it may be best for some OF
the greater souls, but for most of US
commonplace people, who knows but
that other girls engagement rings and
trousseaus and weddings and dear lit
tie new homes are wise bats of fate tC
lure us into a happiness and useful
ness We might otherwise have missed
Spite.-He-Maud has a splendid com.
plexion. She-Yes. And, Just think, il
hardly costs her a cent, She answers al
the advertisements that offer free sam
lpleS.-Judge.