Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-22
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cumstances, even in case of his faithlessness or
death She does not take into account that to
love is one of the laws of woman's nature,
and that her need of being loved is as imperative
as her need Of food. She refuses the man who
loves her honorably and passonately, and who
is prepared to sacrifice anything for her happi-
ness; she still clings obstinately to something
that has become more than shadow, for the
sake of an ideal that is every bit as unreal
INCONSISTENCY.
Often this second man is very much worth the
having, but she remains blind to his good quail
ties; or, if she does realize them, she neverthe-
less, turns away from him, condemning him for
not being as noble or as honorable as Arthur.
She may realize that she was not worthy of Ar
thur, but still, with womans inconsistency, re-
fuses to take the lesser man. She does not take
into consideration that people do not want to live
with ideals; but with warm, human fesh-and
blood. And perhaps it is better for womans
happiness that she should not be too much in
love with her husband, for if she is she is liable
to jealousy and doubt and thousand petty trou-
bles that are part of loves paraphernalia She
should let her husband carry the heavier part
of the burden. Besides, man is more likely to
remain true when he is not altogether sure of
his wife's love, when he thinks there is still
more to be gained, and therefore, some excuse
for the putting forth of effort.
A QUESTION OF AGE.
Then again. when the second man comes to her,
she is older than she when she loved first,
and therefore a better Judge, not only of men,
but also of herself. She knows not only more
about how to make man happy, but also more
what she wishes, what she needs, in husband.
Therefore, her chances for happiness are greater
the second time than they the first; she has
had experience with men, she has learned how
"to bear and forbear,' she has mastered the art
of managing a man without his knowing it
=. H. al Il 1w.I l.
bits of information useful to woman. So she
should by all means take the second man.
Even if she feels that love is an mpossibility,
she should take him anyhow, if she knows that
he is all that is good and honorable, and if she
and he are congenal. This is really all that is
necessary, for as love is largely matter of
propinquity he will end up by making her love
him. No woman, starving for love, hold
out long against an honorable affection; her
whole nature Graves for it, and compes her to
take it. She may realize with regret that after
all it is second best, but in time the regret will
become less bitter in proportion as she comes to
know that giving is conducive to happiness
than receiving. If she had married the other
man she might have become so preoccupied with
her own selfish feelings to forget his, and
this attitude on her part might finally have pro-
duced "the little rift within the lutte" At any
rate she should take into consideration the fact
that, since things are they are they are proba-
bly, arranged in the best possible way for every
body concerned. and so instead of bemoaning her
lege of the second best.