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Unromantic New Way of Diicoums!n
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'Mothcr-m-Uw ! the Very Mot of Meddler," Writes Clara Morris, "What Chance Has a Man Against a
Woman Who's Known ii is Wife All Her Ufe. Love Tries, to Keep Her Uut, but 1 here Uught to lie a uw
to Do It During the First Year of Marriage." This Is Nell Brtnkley's Charming (Interpretation of the
Famous Actress's Idea.
$2,000,000
Affections"
Worth of Suits for. "Alienation of
Make Clara Morris Deplore the
Increasing Commercialization That Takes the
Money Instead of Getting Even in "The Old
LI. ,I." -
X
MO
Mr. George Wilder ' .
By CLi4WA MORRIS
(Th Famous American Actreia.)
FiH the cynic this list of financial pun
lBhmentt asked agatnst roeddlera iii
matrimonial felicity must be a de
lectable banquet, but to any one of senti
ment who loves h! own jteople It brines
aorrow and humiliation. The greatest
thing in the world put on the damaged
goods counter with price tag! appended!
Ambitions, dreama,. lifelong Ideala, hopes,
everything that st&nda tor f&mlly life,
carefully calculated In Its wreckage, Just
aa you would figure damages on furniture,
dishes or potatoes! '
What's the matter with us, anyway?
Not thus In olden times no, not even In
our own youth were such matters settled.
When Paris meddled wth the menage of
Menelaus and stole Uiebeautlful Helen
tht king dldrt ask any court of the time
to award him her "value" In Homerlc
Umes currency. Instead, he went out to
battle, and there followed the aiege of
Troy that gave the world one of lta great
est epic poems.
What Is tt that has so changed our point
of view tor the worse? That It Is for the
worse two of the applicants clearly ahow
they understand. Nr. George Wilder au
aounces that he will give whatever dam
ages he rets from Dr. Willis to the
American Ked Cross Society.
Incidentally, another lira. George Wil
der, who figured recently In the divorce
courts, took the old-fashioned and the
proper way of going straight to her own
husband with bar trouble without em
barrassing tbinga by the meddlesome ad
vice of outsiders.
Mr. Barnes will give whatever h gets
from Professor Cheneln to the children's
Department of the New York Fost-Grad-nate
Hospital. Both these etfars show a
recognition that the "remedy" asked is
at least not a heroic oue.
Particularly noticeable is the number of
cases la which mamma ln-Uw and papa
- la-Uw and other relatives have been the
meddlers. r
And that'a a phase' of the matter 111 take
up later, la the meantime I want to aay
that the spectacle of these 12,000,000
worth of "heart-balm" suits need cause no
one to rlae up to-day to attk: "Where are
e atT" We know. We have struck the
bottom of the well. Nor is It that well of
pure air a&d saeet water vhere Truth bits
smiling. No; it Is a place dank and foul.
It is one thing to be a commercial peo
ple, but quite another thing to be commer
cialised, as we tcoBt surely are coming to '
- be. As rust defaces and destroys Iron, so
gold may defaoe and destroy the most
precious qualities In human nature note
the passing of bold sincerity and sturdy
self-respect from our one-time plain people.
We have become money-changers In the
temple of life.
Men woo yes. and win with dollars.
Oh, yes, money is some conversationalist. , ,
I don't believe a De Stael could get "a look
in" with the wit of a thousand-dollar bilL
Our young glrU chatter prices of fura
and engagement rings. Mammas keep tab
on incomes and total up possible alimony.
Quite small children reject gifta sullenly
because a companion haa more expensive
.ones. It is this commercial spirit thai in
spires men and women to bring these ugly
alienation aulta and try to brace the court
for damages aa "heart balm" heaven save
the mark! I doubt there Is a wounded or
broken heart in this whole waiting crowd.
When there U a great throbbing wound
In a living heart the owner asks of God or
man first darkness and silence in which to
sgontze in decent privacy.
And the men who bring suit asking
money payment for a lost love! Though,
to be fair. I suppose the injured husband
really regards the money as so much
blood drawn from the very heart of his
rival.
Time was, aa I have aald, when revenge
waa not without a certain rough nobility;
but to-day, stripped of courage, it has
fallen to mere malice. Alienation suits by
busbandai What, oh, what has become of
thst "chastity of honor which felt a atala
as a wound V
The thing that'startlea us the most Is, I
think, the glare of light these suits throw
upon the dangers surrounding modern
married life. The crueleat menace to Us
continuity la aa old aa marriage itself, but
hitherto it has been veiled from public
view by some such term as incompatibility
of temper, or general trreconcilableness,
or even failure to provide; but here the
veil la torn aside and we plainly see what
a holy error an "In law" can be. The re
lations of the newly married pair are more
dangerous to them than would be aa ama
teur's gathering of wild mushrooms for
their dinner.
In the argot ot the day these meddlers
are many and always on the Job.
Mamma, sister, papa, auntie, grandma,
pretty fairly places them la the order of
their, activities as home spoilers, and the
reason d'etre ot their conduct is that Jeal
ousy, which is more cruel than the grave,
knowing neither Justice nor mercy. Yet
these "know-Jtl!s,M these ossnallfl.,,
try to deceive themselves by tying on the
mask of family affection and sweetly ex
plain that they "Just offer a little advice
or gentle admonishment to the dear young
Ignorant things in order to start them
properly."
Start nothing!' When young animals
SQte and aeek a new lair Tiger Mamma
doesn't come snuffing about to tell them
where to place the bedding or bones.
Very young blrde mate and build their
nests, and no feathered mother, real or
"In-law." twitters a single twitter of criti
cism or advice. All these young things are
left to go it 'alone. It ia only in young
human beings that the instinct ot home-
making is supposed to be nil, according to
the dear meddler.
The most trying year in life is the first
one ot marriage. It may prove tOxbe
sweet, sacredly precious, aoddenly . bitter
or secretly tragic. Dut ever and alwaya, .
It must be trying! Pitfalls are none the
less pitfalls because hidden with rose
leaves. But it teara fall and fall they
will warm Hps will kiss them away. If
strained nerves snap and snap they will
why, sharp words, like many other
things, simply mean forgiveness, aud for
giveness, and forgiveness, if they are left
alone with no interfering friend to advise. v
"Don't you give in first, my dear. Right
or wrong, rever give in to a man or it
ruins him"" thus to the bride.
And to blm: "You want to be master
now,' right from the start. Well, suppose
she is crytcgt Don't you go coaxing for
giveness or youH spoil her sure," etc., etc..
etc.
' As eucfa a record ot broken vows, hearts
and homes would at least prove whst a
bull in the china shop ot love a meddler
la, and perhaps public opinion. If not the
law, might make a aeparate domicile, how
ever modeet, obligatory for the first year
of married life. Relations ought to be pro
hibited from entering the home during this
troublesome first year.
Ctpyrlabt, 114. by the Star Coiupacy
The $2,000,000' Love Suits.
The following lit, compriung $2,000,000 worth of '
"litnrioB of ffcliott" uit recently filed with the
Supreme Court of New York, U what prompted Clare
Morri to write this article.
Telcnoa Cuyler vs. habella T. Bertin. $500,000 demeget.
Brownio R. Weavertoa vs. Caroline W. Frame, $250,000.
Max F. Klet v.. Edward N. Breirung ,$250,000.
William B. Blackwell v. John Mayer. Jr.. $200,000.
Manhall S. Bayoey vt. Alexender S. Chaatin. $100.00).
Edna 1 Brother v. Brainard Avery at aL, $100,000. '
Cotutance H. Boggt vs. John C Boost et al $100,000.
Maude T Thomptoa va, Loune A. ThompeoB, $100,000.
Emilte B. Ritlev vt. May E. Hatting. $IOO,000
Henrietta R. Hanton vt. Amaiee L. Hanson, $100,000.
Margaret McAlistcr vt. Loirtla McAlitter, $50,000.
Eugene S. Van Riper vt. Frank H. Ray and wife. $50,000.
George H. Wilder vt. George S. Willie, $50,000.
lna Caroa vt. Herman Morda, $25,000.
Elizabeth E. Armttrong vt. Pearl Abbott, $23,000
Total. $2,000,000.
J
Here is a -suggestion that might reduce
the number of alienation suits.
Relatives harass the young couple from
Jealousy that one they love can find happi
ness with a mere outsider also from the
sheer love ot bossing. That is clear
enough. "But, why " people often won
der and ask of one another.
"Why do two loving, clear-headed young
people permit anyone to Interfere with
their affairs (no one has such a right), and
why dues not the husband assert him
self?" Well, you see, the bride and groom are
very far from being "clear-headed." Their
illusions are still' with them, ftelr eyes are
ao dim with dreams that they have not yet
aeen each other aa plain everyday man
and woman. They are not in a norma,
state ot mind. They are nervous, exalte
sensitive, and demand of life nothing short
of perfect happiness. Ot adapting, of giv
ing and taking, ot forgiving, they have as
yet no thought, since
they have known each
other fcokv long?
Months? Perhaps
only for weeks. (Make
a mark right there
with the thumbnail,
please.) Now when
mamma comes upon
the ecene she gener
ally appears as a
"Greek bearing gifts,''
with the usual re
sults. Just note the wo
man's advantagea.
From birth this bride
has been her constant
study. She knows every
turn and twist of her
mind, every good point,
evry weak trait, every
strong trait in her char
acter. (Refer to that thumbnail mark
above.)
Then there ia the inborn, ingrained re
spect, sometimes reverence, that a child
teela for a mother. The affection. In
stinctive and cultivated, tinged with grati
tude, that makes it almost impossible for a
daughter to bold out in stem opposition
agalnat her even when she knows her
mother to be an obstacle to her domestic
peace. Add to these her real knowledge
of housekeeping,' and then set all thia over
against the general ignorance of the bride
and the groom's ignorance of his wife's
character, aud tell me what chance the
youngsters have to get away with it all.
It'a mighty hard for a man to aet hia
face like a flint against his wife's mother
or sister especially when one or the other
of them haa first Informed said wife that a
range often possesses things called damp
era that are of considerable use at times
or some like service.
When mamma's, Innuendoes get on' tht,
little wife's nerves and she knows she is
growing exigent and trying she Just can't
break away from the lifelong habit ot re
spect and obedience. What, scrap with
that incessant, dropper ot hints, her own
mother! Heaven forbid!
And If there'a been a quarrel, and moth-, '
er-ln-law la there, what a tragedy! Love,
who knows the two would make up if left
alone, tries to push her out. She Just can't
help making things worse.
To marry an only child (mark that three
tn family) la to place a prohibitory tarli'r
on your own domestic happiness, because
in the case of an only child mamma and
papa will both meddle.
Again, there is husband and wife tete-a-tete.
All is well. Enter Mr. "Meddler"
the party of the third part and trouble
doth ensue. Certainly three la not a lucky
number in lta relation to love and mar
riage.. But the question ot the moment is Will
the court give gilt-edged damages in these
alienation suits?
Inthat case they may possibly act as a .
brake on that too-exuberant gallantry that
is without conscience, but not wholly tree '
from financial considerations. Even a
gilded sinner might hesitate to flutter the
dovecote ot his closest friend If It was
likely to cost him an eighth of a million
or so.
If the alienation should cause Don Juan
to cross over to the other side it would not
be utterly without credit. '
But the meddlers, like the poor, are
alwaya with us, and, alas! it is probable
they alwaya will be.
Oh, let the newly married have a year
that trying first year. If young married
life is ever to become old married life, .
Love must find the way.
So glvw him a-chance. And as Love and
Honor are the two great, wings that lift us
Into high, clear spaces, let us not welghf
them to helplessness with gold.
How to Make More Boys and Girls Stay on the Farm
--STJNTRY , children should be
f taught in' terms of country life," '
declares W. T. Hodgea In a bul
letin Just Issued by the United States
Bureau of Education, in order to make
them atay on the farm."
In order to discover some of the defi
nite things that have been done In rual
public schools toward infusing Into both
parents and puplla the "atay-on-the-farm"
spirit. Mr. Hodgea sent 9.500 letters to
superintendents throughout the country
who have rural schools under their sup
ervision. From the replies many augges
tiona of special value have been seceived.
Farm arithmetic, farm geography and
Great Hnttiu Bights Reserved-
textbooks in agriculture have been ee
cureed by Berks County, Pennsylvania;
Newton County. Missouri, haa succeeded
In making the school s community centre
by having work done to supplement thst
done at home and by inducing patrons
to visit the schools. The latter Is accom
plished by the "old farm-wagon and big
dinner" plan, whereby aa many a 2,000
persons in the community have visited
one school on a certal nday in the year.
1 A teacher ot, Warren County, Indiana,
who gave her puplla the "option of work
in agriculture or Virgil" waa astonished
to find thatin practically every Instance
the students took both subjects, and the
grades rose beyond anything ever before
experienced. . i
"We have improvised domestic science
teaching by means of coal-oil stoves and
kitchen uteuslls which the patrons of the ,
ricbool gave through a 'kitchen shower,'
esys an enthusiastic teacher from Chester
Township. Ohio. A teacher who waa not
a graduate In domestic science, but who
. i bad "grit and determination," put , the
girls of this school to work in preparing
hot lunches which were sold at a few,
cents. . . (
Plalnville Township, Connecticut, se
lects one school in each village and makes
of It a "model school" to demonstrate
what a rural school under ordinary eon
dltlona may become. The result has been!
that the standard In all the schools In the
county has been elevated
