The Washington herald., 1918-05-06

A widower Of 65 and q widow Of %
eloped and got married the other day.
And their children are perfectly furi-
Eous about It, and are saying horrid
things about venile dementia, and
talking about respect for mothers
and fathers money, and opinion that
people of their age should have their
thoughts fixed on their heavenly home
instead of bridal trips.
Stuff and nonsense! Why shouldn't
old people get married IL they want
to? Surely IL there is anybody on
earth who needs a good home and q
loving wife, or a tender husband, II
Is the man and woman who have got
ten to the place where there Is no
other spot so attractive as their own
fireside, and when they are too old
and stiff and rheumatic to desire 70
run around and play and hunt up
outside play-fellows.
Domesticity 10 a luxury for the
young. II 10 q necessity for the old,
and a lonely middle-aged man and
woman never do a more sensible
thing than when they hunt up a suit
able Joan and Darby to bear them
company on the last lap Of the Jour-
ney Of life.
1t Is the custom Of the young to
sneer at such marriages. and the fear
of making themselves ridiculous, par
ticularly in their children's eyes,
keeps many a man and woman from
making q second marriage and es-
tablishing a second home in which
they would find nothing but peace,
comfort and happiness.
To the young the spectacle Of a
gray haired couple, who have to favor
their left knees a little as they &c
upstairs. fancying themselves tr
love Is a matter for ribald laughter
because, in the mind of youth, love
and marriage are indissolubly linked
with golden tresses. peaches and
cream compilations. and romance and
thrills. Possibly youth Is right, and
after one has fought the battle Of
existence for fifty odd years. one doet
not longer have hectic fevers at the
mere thought Of some particular in.
dividual,. or palpitate at the sound oi
a certain football.
/ But If middle age cannot love with
the glamor OF youth, 1t is capable o
a passion that is an adequate con
| ISOLATION prize. 1t is capable Of I
deep. compensating and satisfyin;
friendship. and there is no sure
foundation on which to build matri
monial happiness than this. Indeed
1t is all that even the most romantic
marriage has in it by the time /
reaches middle age,s for long befor,
that time sentiment has been tori
to tatters and the attraction of :ht
senses has worn itself away. and h,is
band and wife have become eithe;
comrades and chums. or else they ar,
strangers, or enemies.
In spite of what cynical DR.. John
son says about second marriage heir
the triumph of hope over experience
they are generally far happier thar
first marriages. There are man!
; reasons why this should be the case
( The first is that people who marry
second time have generally learned
some wisdom from the mistakes they
made in their first marriage. and us'
more common sense in picking ou
their number two mates than the!
did in choosing number one.
Another reason why second mar
riages are generally successful /
both men and women are house
broken to domesticity. A boy an,
girl enter into the holy estate unde
the delusion that they have ,espouseC
impeccable saints and angels, no
mere mortals.
The man expects his bride to Away
look radiantly beautiful, to be alway
eXquisitely dressed, and for her al
ways to agree with him perfectly Of
every question. and to lie willing Il