The Washington herald., 1908-01-19

'Of course" said the Bachelor Girl,
tlltiug her head theughtfully on one side,
"every woman should marry
What" The Mere Man set down his
coffee cup with an abrupt little clatter.
when she finds her ideal husband"
finished the Bachelor Girl But" she
added, with a sigh. that's such a diff
cult thing 10 do
And so disappointing, when you do il"
remarked the Mere Man sententiously, as
he took out his cigarette case.
Disappointing o. The Bachelor Girl
raised her delicate eyebrows and glanced
across the eenterpieee OF pink roses in
surprise.
Ideals" explained the Mere Man,
striking a match beneath the table. ARE
apt 10 be like the pictures in the anti-fat
advertisements fearfuTy different be
fore and after taking"
The Bachelor Girl twisted her coffee
cup. renecuvely.
~An husbands are" she remarked
placdly
Ideals are likely" continued the Mere
Man, leaning back 20 light his cigarette.
TO develop emb0np0int. or chronic dys-
pepsia. or a bald head, or nerves, or the
asthma
"An husbands do that" repeated the
Bachelor Girl emphatically.
But its so much worse in an ideal"
protested the Mere Man. A woman
places him 50 high that he has further
10 fall than an ordinary chap; and he's
bound % come down with a crash. The
fe a. nu
thougntfuIy, that oil husbands look
about alike after marriage. In the dim,
damp dawn OF the next morning sou
can't tell an ideal from an ordinary,
everyday usband-especially II his
mouth IS open and his top-hair is stick
ing up in tufts and he needs shave
and a clean collar and
OH cried the Bachelor GIRL putting
her hands before her eyes with little
shudder, "do they ever look like that?'
The Mere Man shifted uneasily in his
chair.
Yes" he acknowledged, regretfuIly,
''but it's much easier TO get used to it
and 10 come out of your dream If you
have married a plain, commonplace fel-
low than
Perhaps" cried the Bachelor Girl. with
sudden inspiration. that's why women
who are married 10 great men never seem
10 appreciate them nor 90 stand in awe
Of them. / suppose poets and bakers and
actors and brewers and statesmen and
stOrekeepers are all exactly the same
around the house, and when they are
hungry, or cant find a collar button, or
want to go to sleep. or have indigestion.
or the nightmare
"Or Crouch finished the Mere Man.
''Exactly-only that poets and actors and
statesmen are-are more so. ] once knew
q sweet girl who m-Tried a viTtuoso. She
had a fond illusion that her life would be
q Chopin waltz tune or a Beethoven
IA or a Liszt melody, and that she
d ripple down the stream Of matri-
3 10 the aIluTing notes Of a violin;
the sweet strains became a horrible
ain after she had been listening to
romatic scales for six hours a day for
seral years; and the melody turned into
discord and ended in a-clash," and the
re Man sighed sadly.
/ suppose" mused the Bachelor Girl
cracking a nut refiectvely. that il is
different Listening 10 the dreamy voice
of a poet while he reads you his fancies
on summer afternoon, after all. isn't
exactly Ike listening to the click of his
typewriter and the muttering of lis
groans while he IS turning out those
fancies on a winter morning"
"Of course" assented the Mere Man.
and an actors flights Of temperament
ON the stage are considerably more in
spring than his flights Of temper when
dinner isn't ready or his costume doesn't
fit or he is struggling with his dress
shirt or HIS wig or his makeup. Its
very fatteTing 10 feel that the world
or the stage or the state needs your hus-
band. but il isn't quite so satisfying 10
discover that it's the world or the stage
or the state that gets him, and that about
all that is left 10 you is his next morn
Ing headache and his nervous eXhaus-
ton and a chance To sit around and keep
quiet while he sleeps of his excitement
It's much more comfortable TO spend
your life with n man who can mend a
broken bedspring or fix the faucet when
it leaks than with one who can play Men
delssOhns Spring Song" or write YOU
sonnet And it's much wiser TO marry
somebody who viii button your shoes
and walk the baby than somebody who
expects you 10 sit at his feet and walk
chalk mark"
And ] suppose it's more satisfactory"
added the Bachelor Girl, TO be tied to
the sort Of man who knows how to say
pretty things across the table and will
lead the dog out 10 the park after dinner
than 10 the brilliant person who knows
how TO carry a crowd away by his ora
torical outbursts and can lead the nation
on 10 glory"
Yes agreed the Mere Man. putting
idly. 'The great man who can hold an
audience spellbound and work the coun-
try both ways by pressing a small button
Is apt 10 be more peevish about the way
MS ham and eSgs are cooked and more
childish and fretful when he finds a but
ton of his shirt or is hunting for a clean
necktie than the little chap who can
merely sit in the gallery and cry, Hear!
heart Besides. a wife sort of loses her
awe and admiration Of a genius after she
has helped him rehearse his speeches
and heard him swear az the cat and
struggled to get him into his frocz coat
and 10 make him put on the proper shirt
and part his hair in the middle Ideals.
Ike anything else, need distance to lend
them enchantment-and the longer YOU
are married to one. the more distance YOU
are likely to give him."
The Bachelor Girl poured herself a Gun
or black coffee and set down the coffee
pot with a little thump
Then I'll give It up.' she exclaimed
with conviction.
What" The Mere Man jumped
The search for a husband"
But ! didn't know you were search
ing!' exclaimed the Mere Man. Il thought
you We're dodging,"
For a husband" continued the
Bachelor Girl. TO whom I can look IN
FOR man so big that I can't see over
him and through him and all around
nm; for a companion who will be an in
spiration and an example and a matter of
pride; for"
For thing Of beauty and joy for
ever broke in the Mere Man cynicany.
That's what most women ara sioTtro,