IS MARRIAGE A FAILURE?

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2101, 8 June 1907, Page 2

IS MARRIAGE A FAILURE?

SOME REAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. BEAUTIFUL OPTIMISM.

“Married” thus summarises the whole vexed question:— This is a subject which is causing a considerable amount of discussion in Gisborne at the present time; and having followed closely the articles appearing in your columns, I feel it my duty to offer a. few suggestions from personal experience. To an unbiassed mind, your correspondent “Married "Woman” deals rather severely with the opposite sex; for, after all, there is a great'deal in the old adage that “man is what woman makes him,” and I would endorse “Bu.scol’s” words “'that tiles companionship of a true and noble woman serves almost to the entirety in making man what he should be.” Therefore every woman should see that she has a noble duty in life to perform, for woman was made for man. Thus it behoves all mothers to so educate their daughters in this respect that the latter would be able with very little difficulty to decide what a man is and what he can possibly attain to by their companionship. Men of high moral principles, of strong decided character, and of firm and devoted affections are not picked up on street corners; and when a young woman is courted by such a man slie should give the matter her serious consideration.

Unhappily, hasty marriages of>en bring unhappy results, but it is an easy matter to try a man's character by, his devotion. ‘‘Anti-marriage” shows weakness in advising young men not to marry, his rea son being that after man iage one hasn’t the opportunity of enjoying life’s pleasures as before; but, unless his greatest pleasure is the company of his own wife, then I should certainly say there is not true love between them, and therefore he should not have married her. As for being able to provide for a wife and a reasonable family, if he is made of the right material, there is no such difficulty in this country. Undoubtedly there is often a great deal to be given up, yet I think, and that without prejudice, that in most cases the woman has to make the greatest sacrifice; but from my own experience, and from what 1 have seen in the case of others who have chosen a, mail of high principle and noble character to be their partner through life, I can only say that the sacrifice is more than ever balanced by what is gained.