The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-07-20
A Matrimonial
Experiment
BY ETHEL HOLMES

which published articles 10y celcbrat.
ed persons recording the marvellous
changes that were constantly coming
over civilized peoples aud furctcllng
how tomorrow would he different from
today. This morning she had been
reading an article on the causes Of
matrimonial failures and advocating
the following plan: Engaged couples
were TO live under the same roof for a
certain period, a chaperon always he.
ing present. They were to assume the
duties of housekeeping. living from
common fund just as II they were man
and wife. IL ut the end Of this trial
period they still desired to marry they
would do So n, ON the other hand.
they found that they were incompatl.
BILE they could separate.
Miss Blckerdale was engaged 10 Mr..
Scarborough She was twenty-seven
years old. and her lance was thirty.
two. She had grave doubts as TO how
they would get ON together. This plan
OF trial marriage appealed to her force.
fully. Mr.. Scarborough called, as was
his custom, on Sunday to spend the
evening with her. and she proposed 1t
10 him. He had heard her misgivings
often expressed, and, though he had
no wish himself for such an expert.
mental alliance, desiring to end his
fiancce's doubts, he pretended TO bc
pleased with the plan.
| And SO II was given out to the world
that Miss Hickerdale's mother had sui.
fered a loss OF income and 1t had be.
come necessary for her TO take board
ers. Mr.. Scarborough rented room
! OF her-sO It was understood outside
the house-and the experiment COM
menced. The parties concerned lived
In large city, had few intimate
friends and were well situated to carry
out their plan. Mr.. Scarborough was 10
pay all bills for month. then the
Bickcrdales would assume the respon.
sibilitics, which were To alternate.
Six months passeI-slx delightful
months-in this happy way OF living |
Then. since the experimental marriage |
had been perfect success. Mr.. Scar
borough proposed that they make II |
bona fide. Experience had taught Miss |
Bickcrlale that her doubts rs to their |
getting on together were III founded |
and she consented. Her mother, who 4
had played the part OF mother-in-law |
10 perfection. was invited To continue |
her part In reality. but she declined
You two have not been man and 1
wife You have had no trouble on my
account because you have been simply |
lovers. When the glamour falls from
your eyes you will see me rs | am.
and my imperfections will be equally
apparent to both Of you"
"Oh, mother" exclaimed the 1cti.
tious wife, "how can you talk so?
Have we not lived under the same roof
for six months? Have we not learn
ed each others faults? Even the mon
ey question. that is SO important has
been tested"
"My daughter" replied the old lady.
you have not been married You
have not been the same woman 10 your
lover that you will be to your hus.
band. ! have seen that you have care.
fully concealed your real self from
him. and he has treated you as low
er, not Us husband"
my good gracious, has all this trial
marriage been for nothingf"
mo; 1t has been some preparation
for real one, but OF not much more
value than II you had lived IN separate
homes
"well. 1t seems that | must either
take a leap In the dark or not ut all.
| shall take the leap. But no one can
make me believe-not even you. dear
mother-that John and ! don't know
each other thoroughly"
When Mrs. Scarborough returned
from the honeymoon she told her
mother that she had discovered no new
faults Ia her husband. At the end Of
a year she declared that, while John
was not exactly the man she had sup
posed him to be. he was. all things con
sldered, a much finer man. At the end
OF two years she discovered brutal
traits In her husband that she had
never dreamed Of. Three years passed
and she had discovered an antitoxin
for his brutality which neutrallzcd its
venom. Meanwhile children were com.
ing and a new bond was forming be
tween husband and wife beside which
prenuptlal love was like a tender twig
compared 10 a tree trunk. Then she
confessed TO her mother that her trial
marriage was worthless.
AS for the husband, he passed
through much the same course. lie
started out with the idea that when
he offended his wife he must pacify |
her. lie soon learned that the more
he tried to pacify her the greater the
antagonism.
And now that John Scarborough Is
what Is called an old married man he
has adopted an excellent plan to end !
fruitless discussions with his wife. He
is stone deaf In one ear When his
covers his well ear and, not being
able to hear with the other, makes no
reply. This closes the controversy, Of
course
The Sunday Ehpounder continues TO
publish articles suggesting startling In.
novations In our social and other az
fairs. but Mrs. Scarborough has long
ceased to read them. She says those
upon domestic questions are written by
old maids or women who should have
been old maids, while her husband de.
FLARES that articles on the deepest finan.
eial problems are written by persons
who have been financial failures.