The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-30

the one case precisely as she does in the
other. The girl is web dressed, gay,
smiling and evidently pleased with the
young mans attentions. They pass IN
hour together al part with mutual
gooS will. A dozen or so.of such inter
views, few calls at the family dwell
lng,;a ride, a drive, 4 walk or two and
he is prepared to offer himself and she to
accept him. If any one having the right
demands of him the raison detre the
solid foundation of his scleetion and
consequent engagement he replies that
is all right, that he understands Fanny
thoroughly and is quite sure she will
make hun happy. AS to whether he is
quite surs to make her happy, it is usual
ly the last thing lie thinks about. What
sort of girl is she!' asks the mother of
the happy youth. recalling the mistake
she made i'll guessing life's conundrun.
"Oh, she's Il jolly girl; as jolly Il girl
as ever you saw" replies the wise young
man judicially. "She is as light hearted
as bird, always full of fun and laugh
ter, always ready for anything proposed
in the way of amusement, good natured
and obliging. great taste i'll dress and as
neat as pin-in fact, she is just the
kind of girl like and can get on with.
l hate these prim. mopisl, proper sort
of girls who are always getting tired
and faint and frightened Of everything
from spider to cow and mustn't get
their feet wet, and all that"
So they marry, and he finds that he
knew as little about his wife as she did
about him. The high spirits and con-
slant cheerful alacrity in matters of
amusement were the gift of youth and
health and shade with beautiful ease
into peevishness, discomfort and a rest
less desire for new amusements and dis
fractions. The constant attentions of
the sutton give place to the Indifference
and carelessness of the husband. and the
disappointed wife utters complaints long
and loud that lie is by no means the de-
voted slave she was Ted to believe him.
He retorts that if she were US cheerful
and amiable, as we'll dressed and trim
as he once had known her, he should be
as much i'll love-it is he who is disap-
pointed and has right to complain, etc.
The matrimonial question as to "scis-
sors" is we'll started and goes on until
one or the other gets flung into the we'll
or perhaps filings himself or herself into
some Dead sea of despair.
But after all Il mans failure to COM
prehend the real character of the woman
he selects as wife is not nearly SO dis
astrous rs the corresponding failure of
the woman to understand the man be-
fore she commits her life to his keeping.
The sphinx gives to the one n cruel blow
of her lionhkc paw, but the other she
devours bodily, leaving but the crushed
semblance. the simulacrum as the an
clients used to say, of the bright and
hopeful creature who dared try to
answer her fatal riddle.
Say what we will of the equality of
the sexes and the ability of woman to
hold her own i'll the battle of life, the
fact remains that when and If q woman
loses she loses a great deal more than
the man. n woman plays for heavier
stakes than the man and is so reckless in
her game that she never pauses until she
has flung her all upon the board. Take
a case: y woman meets IL man who at
once devotes himself to her, and both by
word and deed processes to hold his life
as of no value except as it may be de-
NOteu 10 her service.
Now no woman who lives is insensiblo
to the delicate hattcry of such Il profess
sion-no woman SO strong or SO self
reliant as not to he pleased and attracted
by what seems the sincere and thorough
devotion of a man who is admired and
sought by other women, and is able 10
hold his own among other men. Even
If she is happy and prosperous and sur
rounded by other friends man who SO
addresses her, or without any spoken
words so COMFORTS himself, is sure to
win favorable place in her regard; but
if, alas, the woman is lonely and tired
and oppressed with the weight of
duties and Obligations too heavy
for her strength, and which no one
helps her to carry, then if one of
these plausible and much profess
ing men comes along, and in every
look and motion and act says, ''Oh. how
long tohclp you and to comfort YOU and
to take Ill that heavy burden off your
shoulders!' she listens, raises her eyes
to heaven i'll Thanksgiving for such I'M
looked for succor and gladly, yes, eager
ly, gives herself and all she has and all
she hopes and fears and loves into his
hands. She throws her entire fortune
upon the table. She stakes body, soul,
mind, the memories of the past and
hopes of the future upon this single turn
of the wheel. She exclaims to listening
Fate: Il have solved your riddle! |
have found the answer to your conun-
drum of life. | have at last met with
the answer to your terrible enigma, O
Fater'
They marry, for the cruel game is not
made absolute until this bond is riveted.
While woman is bctrothcd her good