Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-26


winter. Young feet and old never m
have different thoughts, different i'd
shall the old man and the maiden W;
You say you are lonely in your
great house. You desire compan-
ionship. You want the face of
woman smiling at you across the
breakfast table, and some voice
other than your admirable serv-
ants to welcome you when you
come home.
That is natural and right, and I,
for one am an ardent advocate of
second marriage. The young may
marry or not, as they please. They
can find amusement enough out
side of their homes.
Marriage Is Only Panacae.
But when a man and woman get
to the age when they have wearied
of theaters and restaurants, and
bridge parties and dinners, and
their own fireside looks better to
them than any other spot on earth
then they need a husband or wife
to share that solitude of two.
And they need home of their
own, not to live around with their
sons and daughters, always on
their p's and as for fear that they
will offend some touchy daughter
in-Iaw, or cantankerous on-inlaw
who bristles with feelings as a
porcupine does with quilts.
Every middle-aged man and
woman who is able to support a
wife or husband should get mar
ried, but there should be a benevo-
lent commission with arbitrary
matrimonial powers appointed by
the government to pick out a suit
able mate for the afflicted party
and see that she or he was of ap-
prOpriate age, character and habit.
For when we hear the last call
for dinner in the matrimonial din
ing car, Colonel. there is some
thing that makes us all. both men
and women, want to order nothing
but squad chicken. And, believe
me, that's an indigestible morsel
for those who have arrived at the
years of indiscretion. Still, there
are those who try it and risk the
consequences. Look at the rich old
men who marry debutantes! Look
at the old women who kidnap baby
boys for husbands! And look at
how soon they have to send in a
hurry call for Doctor Divorce!
OF course, it's all easy enough
to understand. The older we get
the more the wonder and the glory
of youth appeal to us. The more
atrophied our emotions the more
alluring the enthusiasm of the
young. The deader our interests
in things the more we try to Dor
row the interests of the young.
Oh. it isn't hard to see why youth
attracts age!
But-and it's a big exception
what age forgets is that it does not
attract youth. 1t repulses youth.
Age just of itself is hideous, Ioath-
some to the young. There is some
thing about the decaying flesh. the
failing faculties, the very disillu-
sions of age that fill the young
with the same horror they have of
the tomb.
Age gives itself to youth. but
youth always has to be bought by
age. Even our children's atten-
tons are largely a matter of pur-
chase, and the more that we can do
for them the more certain we are
of their dutiful devotion. When it
comes to marriage it is only the
rich who can persuade Cupid to
overlook the difference in years.
You never hear of a young girl
falling in love with a poor old
man, or Of a young man entreatfng
a poverty stricken old woman to
be his bride.
Warns Against Such Unions.
I entreat you. Colonel, to dispas-
sionately consider the chance of
happiness that you have in mar
rying a girl like little Maudie
Thompson. She is sweet and 20.
and her feet just won't behave
when the band plays the turkey
trot She is mad for clothes. mad
for pleasure, mad to run about and
see things and to have the lux
uries that she has been too poor
to possess.