The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-21
DEAFN EsS

stall. Suppose he should notice her in a new gown and comment upon it, not wearing an air of oblivion when she looks better or worse than other wo- men.
 To a,certain middle-aged and really devoted husband of my acquaintance "a woman friend once ventured to say: DO you know that your wife Is the worst-dressed woman in this town?' The man received the remark with in- credulous amazement, saying: Tt new CT occurs to me to think how she looks but I took 1t for granted that if she wanted or when she wanted now clothes she would buy them"
 The good man, well-to-do. and se- renely faithful, never gave a passing thought to his wife's costume, and she happened to be too proud to tell him that she required anything. The day of compliment between those good peo- pie had set in a sea of forgetfulness.
 Suppose that Ethel, in these days somewhat angular, somewhat thin and sallow, somewhat gone, off as to good looks, but with possibilities of beauty still, should array herself for Harry's eyes as she did twenty years ago. l am thinking of people ordinarily thrifty and able to gratify their little tastes. Why should she not make an afternoon toilette for him; why should she allow her younger daughter to monopolize all the fathers admiration? The wife has right to her husbands outspoken devotion, as we'll as to that tenderness which she knows abides for her, nev- er-failing spirit of love. The habit of paying compliments in home life would preserve home happiness from flaw. If it were only more generally practiced The tongue unused to it, might stam- mer little at first but 1t would soon cease to stumble and accustom itself to the gentle and flattering phrase which would bring so much gladness to the nearer.
 Nothing so eats into the fabric of home content as continual indifference. Fault finding and nagging follow swift footed on the heels of this sin against love. Praise. appreciation, out-spoKen affection and demonstrativeness are wonderful helpers in promoting real joy in married life.
 Perhaps 1t Is trite to remark that 1t is much better economy to give flowers to the living than to Strew flowers on 0 grave. If the dead could return they would sometimes be surprised to hear the estimation ia which, they were held while here by the bereaved, who cele- brate their virtues and mourn their loss, in terms thaty only the superlatiVe can express. Don't let us keep our su- perlatives for the hour when we sit alone longing to touch a vanished hand. and the sound of a voice that Is still. We find the means and the money to build monuments. Let us find both to make one another happy when there is no question of monuments, but only of everyday living in obscure places where we do our work, bring up our children and earn the days wages.
 After all, what is better than to earn the days wages honorably, to do the best we can with what we have and to be kind to those who are nearest to us, those of our own blood, who bear our own name7 Whether we serve in the lowlands or the highlands we get the soldiers pay at the days end. It is in our power to be sullen and morose, or to be amiable and genial Compli- ments help on the latter condition and blessedly exercise the former.
 Says Robert Louis Stevenson, When you have married your wife you would think that you were got upon hilltop, and might begin to go downward by an easy slope, but you have only ended courting to begin marriage. Falling in love and winning love are often diff cult tasks to overbearing and rebeli- ious spirits, but to keep in love is also a business of some importance to which both man and wife must bring kindness and good will. The true love story be- gins at the altar"