The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-06-28
ToRTURING A woMAN's SOUL.


"A woman who conceals her identity has just published
in the American Magazine torturing account of her
happy married life She insists that her experience is
common, that the happest women she knows widows
left In comfortable circumstances that most
afraid of their husbands that many compelled to e
and that divorce may be good thing Her article has
ring of sincerity to it. She evidently has looked deep
into her heart and she is doubtless of supe
rlor mentality artistic temperament, and is highly
tional.
While what she has written will be mainly interesting
to women, it is the men who should know about it.
She writes bssfuly of her engagement and honeymoon
During the first two the woman loved loved in Civ
ing love and loved in taking love- The couple lived
nomically Crank was putting his money into his bust
The only incidents to mar the couples happiness were
'sudden and neXplcable hareups. Occasionally, to
amazemen tre would make glare at each other like
animals and speak bitterly Five minutes later would
express regret and shame The wife realized that
with her. these quarrels due to and trials OF
life adjustment.
She discovered something about her husband however,
after particularly violent quarrel night He went to
bed and she treid to read book Finally tear dropped
her page and she thought GLOW silly all this is!
making myself suffer- and making Frank suffer,
too She stole to his bed to kiss the storm and
he was sleeping peacefully.
The years dragged by Frank prospered and took fine
home He took his wife less into his confidence, whereas
he used to tell her "everythng'' He put the home
business basis. He expected everything to be right
matter of When things went wrong he was
amazed and indignant. He used to praise her cooking;
now he only criticised The wife writes II used go up
to my and have nice little cry sometimes hardly
knowing the cause of grief.
In spite of prosperity the wife still had to economze,
and, because of the husbands larger home plans, the
monthly bills became larger and he would frown them
The wife says: Sometimes told unruhs to avoid
sentiment or criticism She asked for allowance but
her husband gave her dark look.
child came, boy The mother went to death s
door "For six MONTHS she says, 81 in Horror land
And yet believe that could have recovered quickly had
felt that Frank bearing the trial cheer
fully, gladly for my sake"
The husband took attitude after this. She was
the mother of his boy His suggested greater ar-
thorty possession and the right to make stern ex-
actions
Babyhood has passed and the boy is now in school, The
husband still insists upon running his domestic establish
ment business basis with sentiment left out and he
is planning to make his like HIMSELF physically,
mentally and morally tough The wife saws she will not
have it. at going to lead to the struggle of exist
together the only real struggle shall be ready!''
she says
She that she will not let her son be like his father
will not have him mentally morally tough Above all
things she wants him to be considerable of other people
She wants him to be gentle Even now, she says this boy
has learned his fathers trick of looking sernly at her
She will break him of this she says. She wants his life
to hold some of the sweeer better things than money
money getting.
In generalizing the writer SAYS her experience is like
that of many She says divorce is no solution while
men and conditions remain what they are Divorce is not
the ev-the evil lies back of divorce. She reoices thai
there increasing divorces because they call attention
to the defects of marriage.
What's the matter with this couple? Why the husband
has sentiment, fine feelings and the woman is full
of them They mismatched He does not understand
her. They talk different languages. An amazing number
OF married couples mismatcled. An amazing number
OF people get married and only think they in love
Some even get married knowing that they do not love
What then can be expected but and regret?
The point the wife, who thus exposes her soul brings
out about the boy is interesting She is right for the mar
she hopes her to be will be happier better thar
the her husband hopes for But the husband will prob
ably II the boy has already learned the trick of wher
ing the mother with scornful glance.