The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-01
SECRET MARRIAGES.


 "Oh to. find the arms of my true love Round me once again,
 When was wont to meet her
 Tn the silent, moody places
 Of the land that gave me birth.
 We stood tranced in long embraces Mix'd with kisses, sweeter, sweeter Than anything on earth.
 Tn the spring young peoples fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. A few meetings and both are quite sure their after life would not be worth Hv- ing unless they wed. If parental ob- jections on either side are raised, op- position but draws the cord which binds their hearts the closer.
 Wise parents do not forbid the daughters lover to cease calling alto gether, for when they are billing and eooing in her parlor, or sitting close together on the front steps, they know where they are It is the rash maiden who allows herself to be coaxed out to keep a clandestine meeting with her lover who causes the most worry. If she is deeply in love, and the young man is reckless of the right or wrong of it, she may be persuaded into a se- eret marriage, being assured both will be immediately forgiven and blessings follow.
 The girl who yields to such cajo1ery, no matter how deeply she may be in love with the young man, realizes they have made a mistake almost as soon as they have turned away from the al tar. All parents are not prone to for give such wilfu1 disobedience at once and welcome the new son-in-1aw to their hearts and home. Nor is his family in a, refenting mood. In angry passion his father is quite likely to fdisinherit him on the spur of the mo- ment. If the youthful husband is de- 6T1d h iz fnI S hi and they choose to ignore him after he has taken unto himself a bride, their secret marriage leads the young couple into desperate straits If he has never, been able to earn enough money to support himself, he finds it an almost hercuIean task to try to pro- vide for two.
 They get a rude awakening from the rosy dream that welded life is made Up of sweet words. caresses and kiss es. He comes home to their two fur nished rooms-bedroom and Kitchen cross and dispirited from the days re- buffs and worries. The girl is novice at coolxing-tlle steak is done to a fraz- gle and the potatoes are cold, water soaked and soggy. She has cut her lit tie, dainty hand trying to open the canned peaches. In addition she has burned a hole in her only dress, and her eyes are red with weeping,
 Love and an unpleasant stomach are never pleasant companions; the latter soon puts the former to rout. He grabs up the evening paper, savage1y trying to forget he is supper1ess in searching through the .smaIe help wanted'' column. The girl sobs out that she wishes she had never been born and that their marriage was a terrible nistake--a conclusion to which he heartily concurs Some one somewhere said. When poverty comes in at the door. love creeps out of the window This is more often than not the case.
 Secret marriage is the last step any young couple should think of taking. Love and marriage should always be open and above board if happiness is to be hoped flor. A young girl owes it to those who have watched over, cared for and loved her since the hour her eyes opened upon this checkered world to consult them about the greatest event of her iife-her marriage. To keep them in the dark eoncerning it. lconsummating it without their know1- edge, consent. or blessing is a folly nc loving, self-respectin girl would think of committing.
 A young man owes the same loyalty to those who love and have cherished him from infancy to manhood. Parents of both may in time forgive a secret