Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-06-13

miserable sufferer, encouraging every
effort shs makes TO emerge from the
prison in which the Demon Drink en-
Chains her. Usually, however, the
husband parts from the wife who de-
grades his life. and makes provision
for her TO live elsewhere-'for better
for worse?" The man does not keep
his contract in this respect so often
as the woman does.
Temper is the great obstacle to
happiness with many married couples
II is a disagreeable surprise for either
wife or husband when a nature that
has hitherto appeared serene and
even sunny suddenly withdraws into
clouds of gloom and sulks apart. Or
the defect of temper may be of the
hasty kind which flashes out in an
angry word, astounding the married
partner. Who could believe that
you would ever speak like that to
me?" is the question that rises to the
lips when first control is lost and
some bitter phrase, soon forgotten by
the utterer, but unfortunately unfor-
gettable by the heare-, routs the hap,
piness of TIE hour.
The French, in naming the wife's
private sitting-room her "boudoir,"
practically recognized this danger to
married happiness. A place in which
to "sulk" was provided for her, and
there are times in which even the
best tempered of men and women
feel that their mood is unfit for social
intercourse. To recognize this is
one of the first duties of the newly
married partner. The dark mood
will pass, and all the sooner, if the
sufferer is left unquestioned. Queries
are quite useless. To be asked
what is the matter only assists in the
curdling process already begun.
There are times when the spirit
dwells apart in isolation. To disturb
its solitude is to call down on ones
devoted head the wrath of the house
hold gods. A woman, angry, speaks
out, frees her mind, and clears the
ai~ A man is more apt to keep
silence, cherishing his grievance, and
inducing condition of mind unfavor.
able to love and peace. 1t is true
wisdom TO give him time to recover.
Unfortunately, however, the mex
perienced young bride feels CON
WINGED that her duty lies in winning
him away from his attitude of isola-
ton, and is wretched when her efforts
fail.
Spoiled children are a frequent
cause of matrimonial friction. The
selfshness of mothers who sacrifice
the comfort Of the home rather than
teach their boys and girls the useful
lesson of obedience has often ended in
estrangling the husband. He seeks
elsewhere the contented ease he
once enjoyed at home. 1t is no longer
his Golden Milestone"
''The central point from which he
measures every distance
Through the gateways Of the world
around him"
Archdeacon Madden scarcely put 1t
too strongly when he said at Liver
pool the other day: 'To my mind.
married life to most men either
means home or it means hell"
And yet even the unhappiest mar
riage is better than the dull, lethargic
ease into which many a complacent
couple sink, as years go by and
youth gives place to middle age. Sur
rounded by all the comforts of life,
they live but for the body. The spirit
is buried under the petty common
places of life, in which the dinner
hour is the important event.
Material things are uppermost, and
one of the saddest things in life is to
watch this gradual entombment of all
our brighter part, whether in ones
self or in another.