Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-30

thering OF the aforesaid great secret
purpose.
The tactics of the modern girl are
profoundly right-much more 70 than
her methods Of reasoning because
they spring from sane instincts 20
powerful and an peryading that she
seldom even notices them. Ard let
there be no mistake about it.
I am tempted TO go further and say
that the desire of the modern girl 70
be married is stiH today just sg it
was in the days before women went
to business. smoked and laughed az
the mere notion Of chaperones. de-
cidedly stronger than the desire Of the
man 10 marry her.
Women were the chief instruments
of natures plan in the previous age,
and in my view they stiH are. II viii
be seen that have travelled a long
way from the popular theory that
the modern girl has a tendency 70
hold ,off marriage. into which the
modern man vainly tries 20 entice
her, but I do not .hink that I have
gone too far.
Nor do I think that many men will
disagree with my impression that
man, while apparently the seeker. il
still IN fact. az Of old the sought.
should add that in this condition ~
affairs I see nothing derogatory to
women. Rather the reverse.
Nevertheless the changed position
and the consequent changed outlook
of the modern girl have brought about
appreciable. II minor changes in the
working of the ancient institution u
bethrothaI and marriage.
In the previous age. II any re-
lance Is to be placed on the best
novels and the best memoirs ~ the
I period. the girl thought about almost
nothing but marriage and, aided by
her mother. directed her energies
mainly to that end. until achievement
Of the wedding altered the whole trend
/ OF her activities.
She acted partly because she had
nothing else to do, and partly because
home was a far more cramping and
| tedious and disciplinary place than II
/ Il today. Thus she had a stronger
| direct reason for plunging into mar
riage at the first opportunity. and this
reason was reinforced by a graver
| fear of complete Illustration II she
should fail in the endeavOur TO mate
herself
The modern girl has less reason to
seek emancipation in marriage. for
she "a already considerably emancipat-
Cd. and she IS les disposed TO hurry
the process Of marrying because fall
ure ~ marry does not now involve
fate that some persons apparently con-
sidered worse than death.
This does not at all mean that her
fundamental instincts are different
from those of her predecessor. IL
means that her new position enables
her to exercise more care in the ex-
ercise more care in the satisfaction OF
those. fundamental instincts ana that
she is less iickely to safety them foos-
IshIy because, being a worker. she has
less leisure to brood herself into an
unhealthy state OF mind about the
tremendous subject.
II means also, that knowing more
OF the world and Of men. she is a better
and more realistic judge Of men and
things as they actually are. Hence she
feels safe TO pick and choose
She does not say TO herself. 4
think / am in love with him or soon
shall be: he has excellent points; and
1 may never get another chance so
good. i'm the manner Of hundreds Of
heroines in hundreds Of old novels.
Not bit.
She says: This affair interests me;
but / am not so badly OF; I am no
body's slave; I can keep myself. I
know that men are not always what
they seem. Therefore, although l am
determined TO marry. and want 20
marry more than L want anything.
will examine this particular affair with
coolness before allowing it 70 reach
higher degree OF intimacy"
Such an attitude. while It would
not denote any weakening Of the in
stinct 10 marry, would undoubtedly
tend to delay marriage and would in
the long run raise the average Of mar
riage- with important consequences
to society at large But wait a
moment; 70 balance this new factor
there are two other new factors.
First the economic factor, which
perhaps more than any other in
iuences the marrying age. The girl
OF today il she chooses to keep her
situation and she often dOes-caa
make possible a marriage which other
wise would be economically impossible.
Coatinued on page s.