El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-29

-HERE is no subject concerning
which there is a wider difference
4 of opinion than there is about
the ethics of a betrothaL Among many
foreign people a marriage engagement
IS almost as solemn and serious a mat
fer as the wedding. In the east Of our
own country an engagement is a sort
Of quarantine that keeps every other
man except her fance away from the
GIRL while it doesn't bind him to the
sItsr If he hapnens to change his mind
In fine south. where they know now 10
ulav the love game, an ensa5 eIhenl Is
merely n preliminary Sklrmlsn along
the matrimonial line, and, short OF the
wedding day, either party can uIaW
hack with honor, and without breach Of
promise suits.
PRIVILEGES and rights an engas ement
bastoyvs 1pon the betrothed. There are
Te1 Who think that an engagement
gives them the full authority OF matri-
T7oDv. and that they have perfect
ri-bf 10 boss their fiancees, and do
fine Jealous Turk act whenever any
other man shows their particular lazy
love the slightest attention
And there are girls who think that
being engaged to a man gives them the
privilege Of policing their betrotned,
and to raise Cain every time their own
Romeos look at another woman, or give
evidence that they are aware tnat there
is another skirt in the world
4 Calling Tyranny.
This IS l-shing a good thing too Tar.
This is tyranny Of the most calling
domestic brand. II Is time enough Tor
one to assume the attitude OF a keeper.
and one-who-must-oe- ooeySo "l.s-L , UllS
actually marries, and the engaged
should reflect that, after ALL until the
wedding ceremony has been performed
he or she has only an option on the
marty Of the other part me traoe
has not been closed, nor the goods de-
It is selfish. and overbearing for a
man before a marriage to narrow
gfrl down to his exclusive society ana
whatever attentions he chooses 70 pc
stow upon her There's time enough
for that when she is his wife and can
make bfr, take her about to places she
wishes TO go. Likewise 1t IS Dotn
si11v and catfish for a woman to keep
a man tied TO her apron strings during
the DAYS Of her engagement he viii
have plenty Of that sort OF thing aLleI-
ward when he Will have 10 proQuce an
a1ibf for every evening he spends away
As a matter OF fact, there would he
4 great many more happy Marriages u
engaged couples looked upon their
hnTTOrn1L as mercy lAl+ %NN-
bation during which they unoertook
the serious task Of finding out some
thing about each others character ana
5isu0sitfon. and whether they We're
Fundamentally suited and likely 70
make OF matrimOny a glad sweet song
instead OF a. Kilkenny cat fight
There are a great many worthy men
and admirable women who. with the
best Intentions in the world. ana even
with a sincere affection for each otner:
are so antagonistic by nature tnaJ II
thew marry they viii make eacn otheI
more miserable than any deliberate
villain could. It should be the province
Of me ENLARGEMENT TO reveal this state
Of affairs and TO give the hapleSs
couuIe q chance TO withdraw on the
safe side OF the altar
Too Much GOCEOO Talk
II Is q thousand pities that engaged
COUPLES. instead Of billing and cooing'
and asking each other loose ducky Is
oogr and will 100 ever get tired OF me-
and does 900 love me million billion,
triIlion bushels" don't use the precious
onuortu1itv to find out what eaen
thinks OF the real problems OF real me
and investigate each others tastes on
every subject from politics 10 pie
There wouldn't be so many divorces