Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-08
SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR
SELECTING a WIFE.


life partner one who is suitable" both
as regards social position and tempera-
ment This is a good rule, but there IS
at least one point which 1T does not
take into deration-namely, the
fact that a young man whose salary
when he marries is $500 or $lO0o
year may be clever enough to attain
position worth $4,000 or more before he
has been wed many years What about
the question of suitability then?
1t happens too frequently that q
young man marries a girl who makes a
good wife so long as the couple remain
in the social position in which they
commenced their united career but
who is quite untitled for the higher
status to which her husbands ambition
and talent have raised him.
1t is not the womans fault. She is
simply united for it. Thus it comes
about that, despite his affection toy.
her, he has to keep her in the 5ats.
ground for her own sake as we'll as fOA
his.
In his new position he Is bound to
keep up a certain standing which
brings him into contact with quite a
different set of people. He is asked
about his wife and has to tell some po-
lite falsehood to shield her. He is ex-
pected to give dinners, but he cannot
do so at home, so he is forced to invite
his new acquaintance to a restaurant
or a club.
These facts are> commented on, and
the idea spreads abroad that there is a
skeleton in the cupboard; that the wife
drinks or something Of that sort.
The husband is vexed. At first he is
sorry for his wife, then he becomes ir-
ritated because she is incapable OF
doing better, and finally there is es-
arrangement.
The wife also frequently resentS
what she describes as neglect. In some
instances the wife understands, and,
although she is cut to the heart by her
own inability to rise to the occasion,
yet in the majority Of cases the senti-
ment is one of annoyance rather than
any other. And so things go from bad
to worse till they end in constant bick-
ering or separation.
1t is not always like that, but It Oc-
ours often enough to make young men
take more care than they do at pres
ent in the matter of suitability. It is
well to select partner who has
adaptability, quality more rare than
one could wish.
The young fellow who has sufficient
in him to enable him to rise in the
manner referred to generally has
enough adaptability to fill the higher
position when he attains it. He should
look to it that he selects wife equally
adaptable.
ole f,n1d
struggle for existence is so keen that a
man who enjoys an income of $4,000
year when he marries may find after
few years that he has to make both
ends meet on something near to a quar-
ter of that amount, and that through
no fault of his own. If his wife is not
adaptable his home life will be any
thing but pleasant.
The young woman, too. must bear this
in mind when making her selection.
She may marry a man with "prOspects"
Ia higher position to which he may be
helped by influence rather than his
own ability.
He may be heir to considerable sum
Of money, for instance. The young wife
is apt to think that they will fill the
position splendidly, and she may be.
right SO far as she herself is concerned,
but do we not often see men change
completely when they have an agreea-
BILE change Of circumstances? They
give way to excesses and wreck the
lives of both.
II would be preferable for woman to
remain single rather than marry man
of this character, whatever his pros
poets.
1t is useless to argue that when there
is deep affection between the two this
love will enable them to rise to the oc-
casion. That kind of argument sounds
well, but it is disproyed by experience.