The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-16

INlS StcTeOtypeu announcement,
which tells so bluntly of a shattered
romance and sets the fashionable world
talking, has appeared with extraordinary
frequency during the last few weeks. III
one week alone eight couples who were
TO have been married this month have
broken their engagements. They are Mr..
William Fraser, Of tine Gordon Highland
ers, son of Lord and Lady Saltoun, and
Miss Yvonnc Palmer, youngest daughter
OF the late Fir Elwin Palmer: AIr. Frank
O'Bricn Wilson. son OF the late Colonel
Wilson and Mrs Wilson. and Miss Mar
garet Chaloner, daughter OF Colonel Rich
ard Chaoner. NJ. p; Mr.. Kenneth Nc
Donall, "A Scottish laird, and Miss Alma
Stopford, daughter OF Lord and Lady Stop
ford; Mr.. Humphrey .Adderley. son OF Lord
and Lady Norton, and Miss Beatrice
Moore, daughter of the late Mr.. Robert
Moore, of Dublin: Captain Edric Weld
Forester youngest Of the gin sons OF Lord
and Lady Forester and Miss Constance
Combc second daughter OF NJ. Richard
and Lady Constance Combe; Mr. fredericl
Ryan andd Miss Gladys Boynton, daughtel
! OF Lady Boynton; NIr. Henry Hector Mac
! Coll and Miss Stella Collins, Mr.. w. l.
/ Der OF others less known in society circles
But there have been many more this
year. including that OF Mr.. Harold Boul-
ton and Miss Anne Dalocrg Acton sister
OF Lord Acton, whose marriage WAS tc
have taken place at Darms tadt in June
Then there was that OF Lord HEREFORD and
: Mrs. Mosscocklc, which aroused d sreat
amount OF interest whose engagement
was announced In May and broken Oft
two months later. Earlier in the year the
engagement OF the Hon. Frances Fitzalar
Howard and Mr.. Arthur Leigh Bennett
was terminated few days before tina,
fixed for the wedding.
! DR.. Charles II. lieydcmann, The Vel
known psychologist, being asked what he
thought Of this remarkable "cpidemic'
advanced "a rather Interesting theory.
The spring." he said lis the time fol
love and the making al engagements. ]
is the psychological moment OF the qUicl.
enng Of universal life, the result OF al
I overplms of vitaiity-hcnce the genera
frieudliness OF families, arrangements 10
/ the future and engagements.
, Though the almost simultaneous OH
nouncemeits Of so many broken off en-
Gagelnents In society arc probably a coin
ciGcncc, there il no doubt that the end o
summer and the change OF season lind
one in IA state OF lower vitality and con
sequcnt depression and irrtahi!ity whicl
may quite likely be the cause Of the break
ing Of. OF engagements.
arrangements day are so much OF
probationary order and arc entered int
i. such a non-committal ashton that
great many couples fail TO stand the ties
lof being continually together and arc con
tent to cry off when the leaves are falling
THAT the epidemic of broken engage
Incnts has anything TO do with a hca
wave | doubt. There may be some mag
inctic storm in the atmosphere. but | IN
cline more 10 the opinion that the broke
engagements are probably a atartlin
series OF condolences which 80 10 prov
; that the general tendency of to-day is 10
girls TO ~ moro eXacting in the choice Q
their husbands than they used to be an
that men are slachcr i'll their devotion
To-day marriage is not the Alpha an
Omega os womcns existence. The breai
! Ing OF o. an engagement in England doe
, not cast an :ndeiiblo siur on a girl. ;is
does IL Germany. for instance. where the
take thinSs far more seriously"