The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-02
OTHER WOMEN'S HUSBANDS.
Comparisons Sometimes Help Content
ment Along.
Washington Star.

Washington Star.
The greatest waste of sympathy in the
world is undoubtedly that pity expended by
the public upon the woman who is not mar
ried happily as society considers she should
be. Women are Pharisees when it comes
to their own domestic grievances-Phari-
sees thanking Providence in their hearts
that whatever may come to them they are
at least spared the notifications that fall
to the lot of certain other women they
know.
If you doubt this assertion take your sew
ing and make round of visits i'm the
neighborhood. as 1 did one morning recent
ly. Mrs. Jones of the tricky husband was
the first one 1 called upon. Her home was
luxuriously and artistically furnished it
had the air of material comforts; Mrs.
Jones greeted me in gorgeously embroid-
cred kimona. She is worldly woman, and
although the things she has found out
through some lawsuit in which her husband
was proved rascal have furrowed hard
lines of cyniciSm and distrust in her face
there beams above and beyond this ex-
preston one of material comfort and
Astounding dissatisfaction.
l admired the kimona. She smiled with
gratified vanity. Yes, think it beauty.
Tom bought it for me, on his last trip, from
Japan"
L think just here Mrs Jones saw in my
eyes speculation as to what sort of an un-
6erhand business venture had taken Tom
to that country, Tor she said, with a quick
flash of comprehension: Il declare, Tom is
the best fellow in the world to his family
so generous, so considerate. He loves me
to have handsomer clothes than any other
woman, and as for bills, he never fuses
about them. Did 1 tell you he had just
given Mabel a diamond necklace?"
mo II roniod.
well he did You know, she has her
coming-out party this winter and she was
crazy for one: diamond necklaces are SO
swell for debutantes.
1T is lovely, i said, "for her to have
such generous father.
Yes" agreed Mrs. Jones, complacently.
81 tell you a woman can stand a lot of
shortcomings in man. She has to put up
at least with some dreadful fault when
she marries, but l think l could endure
anything better than selfshness and stin-
erous to his family, other things can be
forgiven. They will be human, you know"
Her hard lips gave cold, comprehensive,
cynical twitch. Then she looked down at
her gittering rings with smile of cheerful
complacency. why" she went on, there
are some things woman just can't en-
dure. Look at h1ary Smith, next door.
Now. If / had a husband like Fred Smith,
I'd have deserted him long ago. He is
what people call heightened in a way, but
l don't call il honorable for a man TO
live ike the lilies OF the nelQ, TO QreSS I'M
maculately, and spend every bit of the
little income he has on his blessed self,
leaving a wife to struggle and skimp out
an existence any way she can for her
self and a lot of children. That's not my
idea of honor
Nor mine either" l agreed. And then.
after a bit of mere chat l betook myself
next door TO see what Fred Smiths wife
had 10 say about IL. / found her darning
beside basket of stockings that must have
seemed as hopeless as the sea did to the
vassal with the sieve. She smiled and Of
fered me cordial greeting. Her face was
worn and pinched, her gown out at elbows
the room was bare and comfortless.
Il have just been over 10 Mrs. Jones's,"
1 said. She wore gorgeous kimona Tom
brought her from Japan.
Mrs. Smiths lips curled into smile of
amused derision. How can a woman &C
cept anything from such a man." she
asked. impatient disgust in her voice.
why. how can she live with him? OF
course. she knows we all know she knows
Why, she doesn't deserve any more re-
spect than he does
''she seems to think he's all right" i
said.
"Oh. that's pretense.' confidently and
with some degree of satisfaction. She
can't be happy with him..
He has just given Mabel a diamond
necklace" / answered.
We'll. L can't have any respect for either
Mabel or her mother. 'sWhy."-her eyes
blazed and | knew she was in earnest
can uiQct Il NOlIlSu enduring
lot in man. all women must endure some
thing more or less. but 10 have him an I'M
mitigated sharper like Tom Jones-that en-
durance is beyond me-
You think you'd get divorce?" I asked.
Certainly" she answered. sAll the
money in the world would not keep me tied
10 a man like that. Anything but that"
Her eyes fell on the basket of bullying
stockings and her face flushed a bit ..Of
course" she said rather haughtily, as IL
l had spoken. men are not perfect. Some
have been accustomed TO more Indulgence
than others; one has to concede In mar
riage TO ones husbands peculiarities He
may have fragrant faults. but II he is up
right. man to man. in his business deal