The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-08
ATwentieth Century
Marriage Contract
By EDNA PHILLIPS
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

Marriage in one respect is very differ
! ent from what 1t was a century ago
Then there was one head to the fami
ssly, the husband. Now. 1t is claimed
1. nine tenths OF the young women of the
world. including the wealthy classes
work. This educates them to self
dependence of which their grandmoth
ers knew nothing.
Charlotte Blake was one of these
& girls who worked. Work to her was
Z not necessary Her father was abun'
dainty able 10 support her, but she
could not brook idlcness. She possess
ed a good voice and would have liked
to go 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
Pm getting things into shape for
that" he said. Leave 1t to me. Just
as soon as I'm ready I'll let you know"
do you propose always to keep
your affairs to yourselfg'
why would you wish to hear about
them7 You wouldn't understand them,
and your opinions upon them would
only bother me. I'm like a horse used
to a 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-
Inents. 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 different
age from his mother or his grand
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 so again, Nevertheless,
there was a smoldering fire within.
Miss Blake was 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 $40 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 modern girl, had no use for at
tentions in vogue half a century be-
fore.
One evening Pomeroy appeared at
her home and said: II 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 ] to doT"
What are you to do? don't under
stand you"
II 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 vacuum"
''What have ladies always doneT
II am not concerned with that. l
have never considered marriage even
In the present day. only know that
/ am q woman. have earned a suffi
cheney TO take care of myself and don't
need any one to take care of me. If
] could be, as q married woman,
partner in my husbands affairs | sup
pose l should be interested in matri-
mony. As it is, don't think l have
any use for it."
The lover stood aghast. and his fan
Gee continued:
81 have found the period of engage
ment insipid. You have sent me flow
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 go on the stage.
I'm going to try occupying myself in
the profession Of music for two years,
but / am practical enough to realize
that If ! once enter upon that profess
sion | shall doubtless follow 1t as long
rs my voice lasts. That is what 9th
FRS 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.
ut seems to me-" he said finally,
that you are proceeding as much too
fast as am too slow. | see that am
not up to date in the matter of court