The Washington times., 1919-07-06
Blu Arthur HdnlRlerStein
In an InterUietoD

- i
" In the same breath l say that
i won't promise that this will be my
last marriage.
l hope this one will last, but | don't
know. No marriage should outlast love.
who knows how long love will last? No
body. Life is filled with the unexpected.
II is what happens that determines our
course-not what we might want to
happen.
I may become Nat Goodwin's successor.
Who knows? Certainly don't.
There are proverbs which we often hear
and never doubt. One of them is, IF at
first you don't succeed, try. try again."
Why should that be true Of everything else
in life except matrfmony?
It strikes me there is a lot Of unneces'
sary fuss made about marriage. do
number Of things Of mportance-secure
valuable play, make production that is
sure Of a year on Broadway and several
years later on the road-but people who
know me say little about it. They take
that as a matter of course. But marry
again and my private office is buried in
kilograms The day after the announce
ment Of my marriage 1 received five hun
dred wires. When 1t was announced that
was going to be married had lot Of
applications from knot-splicers to do the
job Why? l tell you there's too much
fuss made about a contract between two
persons who are going to try to live to-
gether
That man Heron had it right He made
q vow publicly to take Miss Carrie Rand
to be his companion. She made the same
vow to him. 1t was publicly done. I
understand they lived in complete har-
mony until her death, and that he sin.
cerely mourns her.
Less fuss, longer marriages, say.
All the turmoil the kilograms, the con.
gratulations on what is an ordinary func-
ton of life make both parties to the con-
tract restless.
They think they are-sentenced.
All this fuss sounds to them like the
turning Of key in the door of cell.
They feel that they are in Jail for life
And yet, think it over reasonably, and
why should they be? man who takes a
lease on an apartment doesn't think he
must live all the rest of his life in that
apartment. If he gets derby hat he may
think it is a fine derby. It really may be
a fine one. But he doesn't fancy that he
H,ok hat he -
deathbed.
Don't think that this doctrine is wicked
It is quite the contrary. Honest successive
marriages, even though the marriages fol-
low each other in rapid succession, are
better than a nominal marriage and hid
den romance around the corner.
Somebody said, There is a secret or
chard in every mans life. in which he
plucks forbidden fruit" I'm opposed to
that secret orchard. The reason may sur
prise you. When there is such a secret
romance the woman doesn't respect the
man. And If he isn't blinded by egotism
he knows that he cuts a pretty small fig
ure in her eyes. That's one reason why
the sub-rosa attachment is never really
happy.
Poetical dreamers say that frequent
marriages are mans pursuit of the ideal.
Richard lie Gallienne wrote THE Quest Of
the Golden Girl" But |. who speak from
the standpoint Of practical experience.
deny that. In a physical sense, at least, it
isn't true. My first wife was a woman Of
regular features, beautiful auburn hair,
large, blue eyes, and a rounded. symmetri.
cal figure. My second was tall-an inch
taller Than land thin-so thin that you
would cut yourself if you struck her elbow.
She was dark. My new bride is a petite
blonde
! don't believe that a man has more or
less in mind one type Of woman. and that
il he marries any other he makes a mis-
take and is sure to revert to his ideal.
What do believe, with all my heart and
soul, is that every man wants a good
fellow.
There are too many wives and not
enough good fellows That's what's the
matter with marriage.
wife is a turnkey. A good fellow Is
a cOmrade.