Troubled Marriages and Divorces in 1910

“The Measure of Matrimony,” from the Farmer and Mechanic newspaper, published in Raleigh, N.C., Jan. 4, 1910. Originally printed in the Chicago Record-Herald. For those people who think everything would be perfect if we could only go back in time.

Mrs. Brown is busy

   Getting her divorce;

Was her hubby naughty?

   Certainly—of course!

Still she has a lover

   Waiting anxiously

For the judge to kindly

   Grant her her decree.

Mrs. Gray has left us

   For a little while;

Living out in Reno

   In a modest style;

Couldn’t stand her hubby,

   For his purse was lean:

Presently they’ll tell us

   She is Mrs. Green.

Mrs. Drexel’s busy

   Filing suit today;

She’ll be Mrs. Ellis

   Right away they say;

Mrs. Randolph’s lawyer’s

   Getting evidence;

She’ll be Mrs. Jackson

   In a fortnight hence.

Madison is living

   Down town at his club;

Wife hands each reporter

   Out a haughty snub;

Darborn has been mentioned,

   So has Mrs. Lake;

Keeping matters quiet

   For the children’s sake.

Mrs. P is silent,

   So is Mrs. A.

Both were out consulting

   Lawyers yesterday;

All the judges busy

   Wheels forever whiz;

Bless me what a mix-up

   Matrimony is!