The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-07-10

lIsie Adam. entitled The Revolt and writ.
ten In 1875.
This play showed a household where the
woman had always been the patient and sub
missive mate Of her husband. merchant
with a hard. practical nature. without kind
ness well ss without badness. Every eve
ming On silence. without ever telling the secrets
Of he- mimi or heart, without sign OF resent
meut, his wife helped him 90 10 over his &C
counts and gave him intelligent advice on his
business. One evening. after seventeen years
Of this sad and dull existence. she announced
20 her husband very calmly that an over.
that she vas going away. that she had devoted
herself 20 him and 20 the success OF bis busi-
ness for seventeen years. and that her sacrifice
great enough
his business. thanks 20 her assiduous de-
votun, was going spisndidly. Now. after hav-
ina accomplished tho duties she had under
taken yhen she married him. she goinE
10 fulfill her duties 20 herself she vas going
live Tor herself. according 20 her own tastes.
according 20 her personal aspirations % which
her husband had neyed had any idea Stupe-
ned. he asked her what these aspirations were.
She explained them % him but no could not
understand them. and she vent away. very
serious. but full OF hope.
Several hours later she came back She did
not know whot TO do with the liberty 10 which
What % do with the liberty 20 which
she was unaccustomed. Her aspirations too
long repressed and sufIocated. could not take
their flight toward the divine heights. The
poor woman had still an individual conscience.
but she Rad lost the vitality % that con-
science. she could no longer act except 81
dreams. She came back voluntarily 20 take
up the yoke. long endured, which had be
come her vocation
This heroine personlaed the woman OF that
generation. too greatly restricted by the iron
laws Of the past and having no strength to
realize her individuality
The ideal % indissoluble marriage was. In
deed. OF al the conceptions OF union between
man and woman the most noble and most ele-
waited. We must agree. however. that e has
FumnflWes led ahnmfuahia rneuffa
that a remedy for n was necessary. II Is very
fine TO enter into bond before God and be
fore men. but II this bond Is made up Of dis
gust. hatred and contempt % has no longer any
reason for existence. 20 Is even perfectly i'm
moral and its rupture becomes the sane Just
and higher law. n from an ili-assorted mar
rage no child has been born. ! can see no
serious objection 20 divorce. Even II there
are children q appears none the less inevi-
table and wise, for u u infinitely painful and
immoral Tor The children to DE present a.
abOmnabe wranfles where they lose re-
spect for the family and affection for their
parents. 4 solution that permits them to live
IN peace must be preferable to that situation.
In France the divorce law az first was very
strict and infexible Cases we're very limited
and difficult 10 carry through. When the law
was made more liberal. people attempted 10
abuse g. Demands for divorce increased. But
the French character. which is notably full OF
moderation aud respect for traditions, soon
brought the matter TO a normal condition.
Then a revolution in the method Of marry
INK our young girls made the causes for di
vOrce much less pressing and frequent
Formerly with US the consent OF young
girl was Of extremely little importance IN
marriage. The parents chose a husband fo'
her a. their own pleasure. scarcely consultine
her When the girl. having become a woman
found herself shocked In her tastes. her dell
cacy and her ideals she did not have to sus
tain her the Illusion and the memory Of tende
hours which throw softening light over al
a woman's life