Year: 1873

True marriage is companionship, and
with the termination of companionship
veritable divorce begins. Wedlock, as
generally seen, is a cumbersome vol
ume, with a sweet prelude of verse
followed by tedious chapters of awk-
wardly constructed prose. The poem
represents companionship, and the sub
sequent part is withdrawal. If the
companionship could but be preserved,


each month would prove honeymoon :;


discords, chickering's, and misunder-
standings would diminish rather than
increase, because the action of contact


wears off angles rand adjusts uneven
surfaces to one another Men would


not sulk women would not regret nor
would both turn to the past with the


unavailing wish to undo the present.


Their burdens would be lighter by the


sharing of them and their dis
contents be softened by sympa-
thetic unfolding. Their ways might


be dark and devious; but the con-
sciOusness that they should walk,


where'er they went, closely and tender
ly together, would shed such light upon
their pathway that the darkness would


be dispelled and the deviOusness made
straight. 1t is never too late to resume
companiOnship-w that they who
need it most might remember this -
! and yet they who have surrendered it
rarely look for it again. When they
step apart, the slightest channel of
their separation broadens and deepens,
until what was a crevice becomes a
yawning chasm, which few have the


strength or courage to leap. IF they
would but stretch their yearning arms
across, wounded faith, broken affection,


bruised tenderness could pass over the
natural bridge and be made whole once


more by receiving back what had been
| their own, and must soon again be nat


urally possessed. But companionship


of the married is only portion of that


which is needfUl. We're there more
companionship preceding marriage,
there would be less disharmony and


misconceptiOn after it. How can men
and women, who have been seduIously
kept apart during early years, expect to


dwell in concord and happiness in their
maturity? Where is the miracle that
can convert ignorance into understand
| ing, and strangeness into sympathy {?
They whose destiny is common, whsse


history is written in the same chapters,


whose veal and woe are inseparable,


should be reared together; so far as
| practicable, measured and counterbal-


anced one with the other. The segre-
cation of the sexes is unnatural and un-


wholesome has the taint of monkish


superstition, and yields too often nox-


ious fruit. What can be more absurd


and mischievous than our common mode
| of education As soon as boys and


girl learn they are such, they are sepa-


rated, as if they were wolves and
lambs, and every effort is made by ped
agogy toward their mutual alienation.
| AssidlOus training at school and at
/ home does what it can to render them
/ enemies, and, after long slumbering,
/ the old enemy often breaks out IN con


nubial relations, and refuses to be
/ placated. Nothing but the inherent
and inextinguishabIe attraction between
man and woman thwarts the purpose Of
/ false discipline and peTniciOus tuition.
/ As the bud opens to the sun, as the
/ tides obey the moon, we sentiment be
4 ings seek our mates and recognize them


by instinct. .-,J,s7ajtts Heart BrOtC7ae.