Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-12-19

i ANE of the wiseacreS of big Chs
| cago newspaper wants to know
1 whether men or women of genius
1 should marry? Are they by habit and
| disposition adapted to married happi-
ness?
Men of genius are as varied in tenn
| permanent and habits as the veriest
| bloc kheads. and even the wives of men
Of notoriously small intellect are often
extremely unhappy. The stupid brute
beats and scolds his wife and makes
her life quite as miserable as does the
l nery GUS errat man of brains
1 Genius is of many different sorts. "A
|great mechanical genius will differ con-
siderably in temperament from one who
lis great literary genius. while gen
lsiuses in mathematics, in art, in archi-
ltecture, all differ in manner of life and
Thought and in disposition.
4 The trouble with the average men OF
i letters, for 1t is against heir sort thar
one most frequently hears the charge
they live such unwlolesome lives that
achieve happiness.
/ Most literary artists are slaves to arti-
fetal conditions. and in modern Bohe-
ibled late rarebit are mistaken for the
promptings of genius. One cannot but
think that Parma ssus would be sadly
appropriated If dyspepsia specifics We're
1 In more general use.
| Many men of great literary talent
| have made their wives notoriously un-
happy. For instance. Carlyle made of
| poor, patient Jane Welsh one of the
most miserable of drudges. Rousseau,
Byron, Shelley, Addison, Dante. Shake
lsspeare. Socrates andsho of others are
mentioned as among those who have
lproyed that the muse demands the
whole of mans affections.
| In contrast are the men who have
been happy in matrimonial harness..
| Disraeli, Longfellow. Lowell. Sheridan.
Gladstone. Tennyson and a host Of 9TH
ers have been model husbands.
The fact of the matter seems to be
THAT the man. and not the genius, has
much TO do with the question of happi-
ness A man of brains. If he attains
Iscelebrity. is naturally more in the
worlds eye than nobody. If his dos
inestic affairs do not run smoothly the
! world makes much OF 1t. and II the di-
vorce court IS appealed to his reputa-
ton as brute or a Lothario is firmly
esta blished.
Men OF genius are probably about as
happy in matrimonial bonds as other
men who are too unimportant for the
| world TO take interest in their domestic
Iinfelicities.
Rndyard Kipling. who wrote the
much quoted
Down to Gehcnna or up to the Throne,
Hctrayels the fastest who travels alone.
seems himself to be happy and prosper
Gus. though married.
The artist. singer or writer whose
nerves and brain are constantly on a
strain Is naturally more irritable than.
a more ph.egmatic person whose efforts
do not make any call on the nerves or
emotions.
Good temper is largely dependent on
physical and mental we'll being. The
poet who eats plain food. keeps good
hours, takes plenty OF exercise. lives as
much as possible In the open air and
does not overwork is just as likely to
be an amiable companion for life as a;
lmerchantor mechanic or a man in any
other calling under similar conditions.
Women of genius are. however. an
other matter. There are few women
with tastes for profession or a career
who are likely to Care for the humdrum
L.