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Today, friends, have I got some good advice for you. Oh, yes!

Let me provide attribution right from the start. This advice was in the September 20, 1900 edition of “Fisherman and Farmer” newspaper in Edenton. Have you read it? Possibly not. (An effete attempt at humor.).

The following “Nevers” were titled “Marriage Maxims.”

Never marry except for love. Never allow a request to be repeated. Never meet without a loving welcome.

Never both be angry at the same time. Never forget to let self denial be the daily aim and practice of each. Never let the sun go down upon any anger or grievance.

Never neglect one another; rather neglect the whole world besides. Never make a remark at the expense of the other – it is meanness. Never be “stubborn,” but let each strive to yield oftenest to the wishes of the other.

Never part for the day without loving words to think of during absence. Never find fault unless it is perfectly certain that a fault has been committed, and always speak in love.

Never let any fault you have committed go by until you have frankly confessed it and asked for forgiveness. Never forget that the nearest approach to perfect domestic happiness on earth is the cultivation, on both sides, of absolute unselfishness.

Now those “maxims,” especially some of them, are quite a challenge. Of course, most of you adhere closely to just about all of them I’m sure, all of the time. Sure you do.

If you are one hundred percent in sync with all of them, why, you’re just about a perfect person.

Anyway, I just thought you might enjoy perusing the fourteen points to paradise. Matrimonial, that is.
Next week?