The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-22
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW

Authorities sly that men never for
give wives and sWeethearts who surpass
them in cleverness. that is. II they are
aware Of their disadvantage; and know
Ing that. some clever women learn how
to partially efface themselves by pushing
men forward. and so keep peace and har-
mony in the family.
I presume that we all know cases where
men have turned from exceedingly clever,
pretty wives % find salve for their van
ity in the alteration Of empty pated fe-
males. There is natural masculine re-
pugnance to occupying second place any
whore, and unless a man is deceived into
atbelief that his feminine kin shine only
by reflection. he is not satisfied Only
the Jealous man believes that the woman
OF his choice is attractive 10 other men.
and domestic tragedies are more the re-
suit Of stupidity than faith on the part
OF husbands.
All wives are expected "a be true and
faithful. but they are human. and the
matter-of-fact manner IN which their de-
votion Is taken for granted leaves an
't'taAAA6 ARA Atlil lAattfll iO Nl4AFta II -
CALLING 20 be thought unattractive, and
wounded vanity leads both men and
women TO the doing of foolish things.
think il were man with a wife whom I
wanted 90 keep I would flatter herta wee
bit by pretending tina; 1 considered my
self an extremely fortunate fellow II
would not be exactly pretending. either
for ! would have 20 care great deal for
her to compensate me for the trouble OF
laying plans and carrying them out.
Marrying a genius can hardly be a COM
Portable matter for anybody. The world
says that a genius cannot be measured
by ordinary standards. 50 great license
in speech and behavior is Permitted the
class. 1t is nonsense, TO my way Of
thinking for a genius is only A mortal.
and rudeness IS no more palatable from
one person than another 1t is charitable
10 find excuse for shortcomings. but great
natural gifts ought to make people more
delightful instead of more disagreeable.
! have known a few who took refuge
under the cloak Of genius and did abOm-
Unable things, while real genius was
making itself agreeable and being useful.
There was a time when a literary
woman dared TO be badly dressed and
keep an untidy home. ! have q childish
recollection Of a pOetess whose verses
are known all over the world a woman
Of sweet disposition and most untidy
habits, whose home was a horror and
whose children were left TO grow up as
they might. I had her in mind when I
IS ia
modern literary light, who was COM
fortably housed at an exclusive hotel, and
found time to wear pretty clothes and be
agreeable. Literary women are no longer
forgiven for being frumpy. untidy, and
unsociable-there was no good reason why
they ever should be exempt from laws
that govern living among ordinary PEG
pie.
Cleverness is desirable, oh, yes. very
desirable, but It can work lot Of mis-
chief when misdirected. Few men like 70
be considered merely as husbands Of
clever women whose names are house
hold words They have remained suffi-
GENTLY old-fashioned to believe that a
woman's personality is submerged with
her name, and whatever disturbs that
belief makes trouble Sometimes there
is trouble when both are unusually gift
ed, but that results from professional
jealousy. Many O. woman Of keen brain
and loving heart has been the power
that propelled her husband to fame and
got no credit for IT, The knowledge Of
her power is generally sufficient to sat
isfy such a woman. Surface cleverness
we see in abundance but it bears so lit
tie resemblance to the real thing as TO
deceive none but the stupid Even hus-
bands see through these shams.
RFTVV RR AnpFN