St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-08-23
The Marrying Business.

There are still such things as the
marriage VOW and the bond of mat
rimony and they are as strong an
element of good civilization as ever.
But there is also an increasing pro-
portion of marriages where these
good old terms cannot be properly
used and they are not entitled to
marrying business. Society is CIV
ing the subject more attention ow-
ing to the rapid growth of the latter
| class of cases and the recent at
tempt of Col. Astor to remarry after
securing a divorce from his former
wife. In cases like Col. Astor's it
is simply taking new wife when
ever convenient.
which the woman was held largely
responsible for the prevalence of
the divorce evil alleging that it was
common among women to attempt
to marry above themselves SO far
as wealth and titles were concern
ed and that in attempting to drive
these advantageous matrimonial
bargains young ladies live beyond
their means, develop an abnormal
taste for the expensive, exciting and
snowy customs of life. This taste
monial trade is closed and in many
cases the woman finds she was
beaten in the bargain and becomes
so dissatisfied that divorce follows.
Most women will Indignantly deny
such a charge and do SO justly but
if one thinks seriously upon the
matter he must admit that in the
case of society and would be society
women it is altogether too true.
This condition is the logical re-
suit of pernicious idea of success
held by large proportion of the
American people-judging mans
worth by the show he can make.
There is always more or less hum
bug in humanity and when it comes
to making show it is decidedly
more. Therefore so long as show
is made the test of desirability of
husband or a wife there is little
prospect of a diminution of unhap-
py marriages and divorces.
Col. E. H. r. Green, son of Het-
ty Green, multi-millionaire and a
bachelor, is credited with being &C.
centric but he has recently said
some sensible things about mar
riage and children. Here it is:
No, I haven't any idea of marry
| ing at present, but when I do I'll
marry a woman, not a clothes line.
1t would seem that the New York
women have no idea of the real
meaning of marriage. They marry
! for a home to live out of; they
marry man to be away from him,
they marry, in fact, only to get di-
vorces so they can choose new
husband or live on the alimony paid
them by the first. Children are the
last thing they want. If they can
have beautiful clothes and look
| fashionable, they are SNUG in their
domestic accomplishments. None
of them knows how to cook or sew.
Children should be brought UP
like chickens-amid grass and dirt
good, clean, wholesome dirt of
the fields. The results are seen
every day in the papers-divorces
suicides, murders and all varieties
of crime. That is the price So
called civilization pays for being
congested and warped and artificial.
Only three generations ago, every
woman prided herself on her cook
ing recipes; she could darn fathers
socks and knit baby's stockings. 1t
is un-American, it is snobbish and
a sham on her own people and
bring-up to turn up her nose and
sniff at such accomplishments to-
day. Let US have more old-fash-
Toned women, and we will have bet
ter homes, more children and hap
pier men.