The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-03-31
ENGLISH GIRL REFUSES TO MAR
RY SOLDIER UNTIL THE
WAR Is OVER.
WANTS TO BE LEFT FREE
Then II Officer Comes Home With
Eyes Out or Arms OF She Can
Prove Love True. tIH


That was the kind of remark that
greeted her every day, and she had
to explain that the engagement ring
did not mean a war wedding, and
that. in fact, there would be no mar
riage until he came back from the
war. Her people were disappointed.
The man was senior officer,
thoroughly good fellow, and they
were both deeply in love. 1t would
s,e so much nicer for her to be mar
rjed. And then, if-well, If he did
not return she would have pension
that would, at least, ease the material
side of life. They could not under
stand how the girl could stand out so
definitely when all who cared for her
were willing, even eager, to help her
in the thousand little tasks and de-
tails associated with a war wedding.
Don't open up house." kindly
relative said, "come and live with
me. You shall have a sitting room
to yourself so that when he comes
home on leave it will be almost like
having a home of your own"
But the engaged girl, grateful as
she was, declined the offer, and 1t
was only to an understanding friend
that she confided her point of view.
1It's not thing one can talk about
very easily" she said, "but should
like you to know, think that every
man who marries and returns almost
Immediately to his post Of duty has
very mixed feelings. He is tremen-
dously happy, of course, to know that
the girl he loves is his, that when he
is out at the front, he will be tied to
her by the most sacred bond that ex-
lists. And the girl, of course, is hap
by, too. But there is another side of
the question. The man may argue
that if he comes back fit and strong
happiness lies before them. He may
say that if he is killed in action his
wife will at least be beyond the at
tack of poverty and material distress!
He knows that the pension due to an
officers wife will at least keep her
from want. Both these considerations
are in favor of war wedding. But
and this is where the man hesitates
-supposing he comes back without
an arm or with two legs missing. or
utterly, hopelessly blind? He thinks
of the girl, young, beautiful, full of
strength and health, and the idea that
she should be tied to MANNED and
crippled creature is absolutely intoler-
able. He knows that the girl would
be glad to serve him with all her
love and tenderness. But he regards
lit as sacrifice, and his chivalry will
mot allow him to accept the sacrifice.
You see, if the girl is his wife he
knows that she will stay beside him
from a sense of duty. Her place is
,at his side. Can't you see how that
might hurt man?
Now, take my position. If my man |
comes back smashed up badly, with |
limbs missing, he knows that l am
free to marry someone else. There
is nothing between us that can not
be broken. And if tell him how
much l love him and how greatly l
need him, it will in way reassure
him. He will realize that am coming
to him out of my own free will, and
not because / am his wife.
81 don't think that people realize
now deeply most men feel this aspect
of war weddings. They know how
the average girl loves man in khaki
They realize that the love that
prompted a girl to marry man, who
heroic and strong and splendid, was
ordered out for the front, might not
be strong and real enough to make
happiness possible for her If he came
tack battered and broken. So many
men feel that the girl doesn't quite
realize that it does take rather big
love to make joy at all possible in a
married life that would be much out
of the ordinary.
That's why" she went on, IL do
not believe in war weddings. II
desired it Dick would marry me to-
morrow. But l know that 1t will
make him happier to think that am
free. 1t is a sacrifice for me, but l
make it very gladly, knowing what it
means to him. We are sure OF our
love. If he comes back to me we 1
shall be married at once. Our en-
gagement. has been announced only |
because my right to be with him II
he comes home wounded will be the
more clearly asserted. We are very |
happy-perhaps little happier than |
those who have not considered the
other side of the war wedding.
"You see." she added. there are