The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-27
(Ladies' Home Journal.)

\1oulSS 11O1AlN OOuAlA
A 15-year-old girl came home from
under one arm. and on the other arm
q boy whom she introduced to the
amazed mother as her husband" OF
course the mother took 1t as a joke.
but after a few questions the Joke"
turned out to be a fact. The little
girl was an only child. the apple Of
her fathers eye: she "adored" this
her life when her mind. by natures
ordinance, vas keyed to "A condition
in which the duties of probable. ma
ternity impressed her as the most
solemn matter Of her womanly ex-
istcnce. Every woman knows that
time. She believed the honeyed words
of the boy that they We're made for
each other; twin souls. He believed
1t too The fact that he was 16 years
ton! Such essentials do not bother
the young "Now." writes the broken
hearted father, do I know what YOU
mean by hammering at u lax mar
rage laws. To spare other parents
the tortures that my wife and I are
suffering until We can get this awful
thing annulled keep " up" ::
Why should not our school children
marry If they take the notion: into
rktlClI 1ICdOcs In "a J. uCdulIlully
open to them! In those states where
no license is required the way is alb
solutcly un~obstructed; all that is need
ed is for the children to look a little
older than they actually are. and even
that, In some instances, is not neces
sary. And In those states where a
license is required it only requires an
rying parson" who will close his eyes
to little "delinquencies" exists in en-
cry city. One such arson, recently
convicted, was found to have solem-
nized more than sixty marriages
where both parties were under the
legal age-in one cas the child Wife
was 10!
We call this sorry condition keep
ing the way to the marriage altar free
pie" Well, it is certainly free from
Instructions! Others cali it American
democracy" no one will question the
fact that it is democratic. But why,
may l ask. II we believe in this form
Of American democracy" do +. we.
show all this righteous Indignation
about the increase. Of divorce in this
country? II we believe in easy mar
rage why should we object to easy
divorce? The certainly follows
the other. We are only reaping what
we are sowing.
Is it any wonder that some folks
smile q all this righteous indignation
about our divorce evil?"
Come now" said a foreigner to me
IN Europe. you American people are
not SO serious about this divorce ques.
ton as you would like the world to
believe"
And why not?" l asked.
"Why not?" he repeated. "NVhy,
look Mt your marriage laws. They are
positively Indecent. Do you realize
that they are the laughing stock Of
all Europe? II you are really as scri-
Gus on this divorce question as YOU
want folks to believe why don't you
stop the indecent ease with which any
one ran get married in your country?
What else can YOU expect with your
loose laws?"
And then he closed with:
"a little less show of all this VIRTUE
Gus Indignation and a little more show
CT actual decency would be more con.
vincing to the world"
looked up the marriage laws of
my friends country and / found five
requirements:
First-A certified copy of the rec
ord Of both prospective bride and
bridegroom:
~Sccond-If these records show the.
young. people to he Of the REQUIRED
& to marry a license is issued whic,,
authorizes tn" marriage to he solem.
nfzed any time after a month from
date Of the license:
Third--The intent to marry In then
posted on a public board at the