The Washington herald., 1907-09-09
FROM WOM,A MS
POINT OF VIE w

There are worse things in life than
broken engagements-one might marry a
rascal. you know. and that would be
many times worse than discovering per-
fidy before the law compels a woman 10
share a hard lot. I have never been able
to discover any reason fer feeling humil-
lated at being told that mans feelings
have changed. for that is something no
human aid can remedy. II he Is suffi-
GENTLY honorable % declare himself, a
woman ought TO be able 20 face the sit
uatlon with courage.
No real woman wants to marry a man
against his will She may feel deeply
grieved at the change in her expected
fate. but pride and, proper self-respect
viii help her and she must feel some sort
of satisfaction in her escape from the
hard lot Of an unloved wife. The other
dav I received a shock from which I have
not fully recovered. I met a woman
whom had not seen for some years, and
the change IN her personal appearance
was not accounted for by time Yet
know-or thought knew, as it happens
that she was happily married and IN fair
~ good health.
Judge Of my surprise when. after ask
Ing after the health of her husband. I
learned that her whole married life had
been n horror which she had faced brave
w until he threw prudence TO the winds
and avowed open admiration FOR an
other woman and his detestatiOn Of his
present wife Two weeks after the we'd
ding of this pair the wife learned that,
during the two years Of courtship. the
mans affection had dieI out and he was
not sufficiently manly TO tell her so. She
married him in all faith, and one day the
truth came out.
So they lived with that secret between
them, a secret she would not even share
with her mother. Three children were
born to them. and the world thought it
an ideal family-till. as I said the man
became reckless. The wife was both
pretty and accomplished, and very pop
ular when he took her to strange city,
and she has been a model wife and
mother. but at a terrible sacrifice of
youth and happiness. I would ike TO see
the woman who could truthfuily declare
her belief that such a fate was preferable
20 be Tilted at the very altar.
In the face Of tragedies Ike this there
are women who have the hardihood to
attempt to force men 20 keep q promise
Of marriage. men who would hardly be
safe ventures If they were ruled by an
overpowering affection do not mean
the women who ask for hard cash balm
to heal their damaged affections. because
they are hardly worth considering. They
form a class that commands no respect
even from the jury which decides the de-
gree of damage. There have been nu-
merous cases Of late where reluctant
bridegrooms have been forced TO the altar
by determined maidens, and the sight is
hardly edifyiug.
1t gives rise TO unpleasant remarks
about the sex in general It is not nice
to have men believe and say that girls
are so eager for husbands that It is only
a matter Of pick and choose for any man.
that women do the counting. and that
ordinary attentions are construed into ex-
pressions of affection. Some Of these
charges are true, IN a great many cases.
so the rest of womankind has to suffer.
Occasionally a man with this distorted
idea of femininity finds a woman who
teaches him a few things and keeps him
on the seat of uncertainty. That woman
has all the devotion she can take care of,
I assure you.