Show Is marriage becoming obsolete s nofa the least curious and note worthy of the tho results of the panic in the east is reported a very perceptible cep tible falling off in weddings the general average was kept up through the earlier portion of that miserable time but of late has decreased creased to such an extent that therease there ther eare are serious fears of a total failure of the crop in this important part of the ministerial harvest during the spring and summer coming the reason assigned for their not doing so sooner is t hat that thoyce e made up to the present time have been as one might say clearing off the old contracts men afen sacrificed now agreed to it months ago of course they would be willing to pay a handsome margin for release now now but cannot get it women are shrewd hands at compelling bargains in matters of this sort fort but new contracts are scarce husbands are rated scarce and in 9 great reat demand in the matrimonial market wives a surplus and few offers at any price except for exceedingly choice lots i notwithstanding our escape from tho the disaster of a panic and its consequent demoralization of social affairs wo may observe here a tendency similar to that noted in the east asad a sad dimming of the glare glate of hymens torch why are our maidens threatened with spinsterhood and why do our youths grow up and on into ante the bald and wrinkled stages of SI simply ply I 1 because the impression is constantly growing more and more prevalent that marria marriage e is an institution which pay its lux luxuries urles uries fail fall to repay the ri cost of in ve ament asa As a gendral general proposition be affirmed that as a people w we bave have the most vague conceptions possible on thes thos the tho eore score of economy Y but as a par particular it idular fact j at t maybe further demo demonstrated nitrated that our oun women nien rien A as a uie ule rule possess not even those an american whatever his bl paeans means deenis deems nothing too good for him theoretically the earth and the fullness thereof belong to hi him im practically if hei he does not come into possession of that estate it is not for want of 0 endeavor and if unsuccessful he is so much muoi ashamed of it that he will desperately struggle to pre pro preserve the semblance of attainment of what he considers his just deserts false pride is the parent of our out countless shams we want champagne but if our lank purses bid us I 1 nay we will insist upon at least leht having a poisonous and vilely flavored beverage which will come with ith a fizz out of or a bottle mendaciously labeled champagne wo we want fine raiment put but if our oui our financial resources proscribe that which is both fine and good we wa will resign the latter characteristic to secure an imitation of uhe tho former we want gold and diamonds but the yearnings of oil oll our r impecunious souls nay may be stayed with and paste why I 1 in n some places pittsburgh for instance plank monuments painted and grained to imitate italian mar ble and granite are to be seen from the cradle to tho tomb there is 0 5 among americans an increasing combat with fate by those who have 1000 P J by those who have per annum to rival in expenditure pend iture and display those who have to maintain a superficial burril cial elal equality with those who ave nave and so on ad infinitum our really rich men strive to outshine kings while those in medium media in circumstances and even the poor try to ape the style of the rich xich it may all bo be considered a sort of social affirmation of thorough damoc racy but as used to be said in t the he army it is no good way the main supporters of this false artificial and injurious state of society biety are women men lien undoubtedly lay the foundations for their ruinous taste for competition in extravagance but they go to far greater lengths than men would ever dare in its pursuit forthe reasons that they generally have little or nothing ng elso to think of within the so somewhat m limited scope of their comprehension and that no enforced eil dri forced considerations of business necessity serve to restrain them the american girl of today to day is taught to cultivate an indifference as to whence or how money comes so long as she can have it to squander on her personal adornment in rivalry with others of her sex As mrs burnham wittily says for women mans mana pleasures would never suit us and his profits w we have we allow him liim elou enough h to dress respectably ably and to take taue te him to leo lee tures and other intellectual circuses but the bulk of his income we apar appropriate late 11 too ve veracious raco us quite ila iia haye have ye american can lius ilus husbands bands found the biblical statement that a mans foes are those of his own household american youth of the present day are generally reflective and not easily taken in either by sentiment or speculation they admire ara bella and cynthia and all the rest of the charming baits to lare lore are them from the untrammeled independent joys of bachelorhood but year by year it seems as if the number snapped from that eca of liberty into the frying pan of marriage grows smaller and smaller the plain truth is that so long as woman continues to be a synonym for reckless extravagance mail man with a moderate income and measurable prudence can venture upon the risk of taking abife a wire wife that eliat is a wife of hla hia own not only must ho lie see that he marries financial cl al disaster but he invokes the actual presence of ugly shadowy phantoms of mental inquietude and shame the legitimate brood of unthrift and baseless ostentation when he assumes the weighty responsibilities of a husband lie he hears on every side the conundrum so frequently put as to constitute a perpetual buzzing in the air how can mrs airs dress so upon ler her herbus hus bands income he sees the cloud of lof care anxiety and regret which darkens the brow of married men lie he feels how expensive is the burden of the tho ord ordinary inary luary social pleasures to which he is condemned it if ile he I 1 would cultivate the society of ladies and still avoid tho the reputation for meanness a term women are quick I 1 in n lip applying lying to rational economy Is it any wonder that he says to himself ano no I 1 lack the heroism require required dra fora lifetime of such martyrdom of course there will still bo be weddings for therm there will alwang bo be nien rich enough to enable them thona to dis pense with brains and it is to be hoped thai that while time endures it will be practicable in lil some cases to go home and live with tho old folks but if tb popularize marriage they must make gigantic reforms reforma in 14 their habits babits SE S F chronicle |