Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-03-13
|ATwentieth Century
Marriage Contract
By EDNA PHILLIPS
Copyright BY American Press Asso-
citation, 1874.

Then there was QUE menu " 49, A
". rho husband. Now. II 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.
ers knew nothing.
Charlotte Blake WIS one OF these
girls who worked. Work to her was
not necessary. Her father was album
dainty able TO support her, but she
could not brook idleness. She possess.
ed n good voice and would have liked
10 60 on the stage had her father not
objected. As II was, she gave music
lessons. But when she engaged her.
self 10 Henry Pomeroy her lover OBJ
.iected 10 her doing anything whatever.
so she gave up teaching.
She had been engaged several months
without hearing anything from her
ilance as TO their marriage. and. time
hanging heavy on her hands, she spoke
to him about the matter.
'Tm getting things into shape FOR
that" he said. Leave Il to me. just
as soon as I'm ready I'll let you know
do you propose always TO keep
your affairs to yourselfT'
"why would you wish to hear about
them? You wouldn't understand them.
and your opinions upon them would
only bother me- I'm ike a horse used
to n mountain trail. ave him bis
head and he'll carry you safely. Try
to guide him and he'll spin you"
This was all that was said about the
matter at the time. Miss Blake con
tinuesi to do nothing. while Mr.. Pom
eroy pursued the even tenor Of his
way without mentioning HIS affairs to
her. He was devoted 10 her In other
respects. taking her to the theater. to
drives and affording her other amuse-
menis. Indeed. be treated her In the
old fashioned way, as bis father had
treated his mother. as his grandfather
had treated his grandmother.
But Charlotte lived In q 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 Gre within
Miss Blake was q representative of the
twentieth century woman.
Meanwhile the flowers came regular
iy, and her tiance 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 q modern girl. had no use for at
tenrions In vogue half century be-
fore
One evening Pomeroy appeared at
her home and said: II am happy to an
nounee that my affairs are now iu 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 dor
What are you to do? / don't under
stand you"
Il infer from what you say that you
win be able TO hire the best of serv-
ants. who will take every care OF the
house | see nothing TO occupy me.
My mind will be a vacuum"
What have ladies always doneT
II am not concerned with that.
have never considered marriage even
in the present day. only know that
| am a woman. have earned a suffi-
cheney 10 take care OF myself and don't
need any one to take care of me. IL
could be. as a married woman, q
partner In my husbands affairs | sup
pose | should be interested In matri-
mony. AS 1t is. don't think l have
any use for It,"
The lover stood aghast. and his Can
Gee continued:
Il have found the period of engage
ment insipid. You have sent me dow
Nts 1dtAtct Only Won
dered that you didn't send me doll.
Now you propose 10 set me up in your
home as d wax figure under a glass
cover. decline the honor. I 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 II ] once enter upon that profess
sion | shall doubtless follow 1t 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 be 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 am
not up to date in the matter Of a court
ship or In my estimate Of the modern
position of. a wife. I viii meet YOU
halfway. viii take you as a part