Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 257, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1911 — VIEWS ON MARRIAGE. [ARTICLE]

VIEWS ON MARRIAGE.

“Precisely,” agreed the bachelor. "The greatest sacrifice of marriage Is the loss of one’s women friends." “The'country is evidently in danger." said a callow youth. V*’ : “One by one my women friends have offered up my friendship on their matrimonial altars," continued -the bachelor. “We have had interests In common, one of the arts of sciences, a common object In life, friendship, in fact, but those finest of human links have snapped one by one. Her husband, say, is too busy a man .to be merely cultivated! To see much of her while he is there would be selfish; at other times it would embarrass the neighborhood with unnecessary gossip. Friendship is such a delicate thing that it is quickly stifled under the mantle of discretion when it does not die outright. That piece of Mendelssohn should he called the funeral march of friendship.” “But is not the entire possession of one woman recompense enough for the capricious friendship of many?” asked the other. "Marriage has already made, you cynical,” replied the bachelor. “Possession!” snorted the callow youth; “that’s what queers the whole business.” “To suggest that a wife is her husband’s property is a remark that should never be made except in the presence of ladies, where it may be corrected,” said the old bachelor. “That’s about all marriage is,” added the youth. “It is more than that,” put in the host, and added:

I “Shall we join the ladies? Possibly they may have something to say on the subject” ‘ While they were depositing their half smoked cigars, dusting the specks of tobacco ash from their coats and settling the hang of their clothes with that show of indifference unknown to the more honest variety of women, there came a little cry from'the upper regions. It was repeated, a thin wailing, querulous voice, followed by a hurried rustling es skirts up the stairs. Three of the men dropped their eyes, the other smiled. They crossed into the drawing room, where - three women sat with a look of listening oh their faces. “We were just trying to persuade' Miss Talenthead to play for us,” said one of them with an encouraging, smile.—Kansas' City Times.