responded: "_Oh, but we are married now, and it's your
duty to stay with me!_"

What wonder that the husband went out of the house, slamming the door
after him! The wonder is that he ever came back.

Again: A woman who was a graduate of a famous Eastern College and
who had taught for a number of years, who was from one of the "first
families" in the east, and was counted as a lady of the highest
culture and refinement, finally married a Western business man. On
their bridal night, as they were retiring, the man laid his hand on
the woman's bare shoulder, and she threw it off, and said: "Don't
be disgusting! I married you because I was tired of taking care of
myself, or of having my relatives take care of me. You are worth fifty
thousand dollars, and one-third of all that was made mine just as soon
as the preacher got through his closing prayer, and you can't help
it! That's the truth, and we are married, and you can make the best of
it!"

These are both truthful tales, nor are they the only ones of the sort
that could be told.

On the other hand, these are matched with acts of ignorant and
careless young husbands, who do dastardly deeds to their brides
because they think _the law_ and the _contract_ give them the right!
There is no need to go into details. The whole evil is revealed by the
words of the woman just quoted: "_Oh, but we are married now_."

These records, and all like them, lead to the remark that _marriage
confers no rights, to either the bride or the bridegroom, in the
highest meaning of the word_. So far as its outward and formal
observance is concerned, marriage is merely a sort of protection for
society which has grown up through the years, and which is probably
for the best, for the present, things being as they are. But it should
be well understood that it can _never_ lead to _true happiness_ if it
is viewed and utilized _merely_ on its _legal and formal side. True
marriage is based on mutual love; and mutual love can never be traded
upon, or made an item of formal agreement and contract._ People may
contract to live together and to cohabit, and they may faithfully
carry out their agreements; _but this is not marriage_! It is simply
_legalized prostitution, bargain and sale, for a consideration. It is
blasphemy to call it by the sacred name of marriage!_

Truly does Tennyson say: "Free love will not be bound." Indeed it
cannot be! It must remain forever free if it stays at all. And if the
par