The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-06-23
VACATION
WIVES.

This is the season when wives run
away from their husbands. Not to
stay, permanently, perhaps, but for
the summer outings, when they leave
the home desolate and the men for
lorn.
1t has always been a mystery to me
why a woman needed a longer rest
period than a man. The average wo.I
man of the higher middle class-in
other words. the woman of leisure
is not as hard worked as her hus-
band. In the old days when women
had large families and were over
worked and worn out it was often
wise for them to seek some noun
tain or seaside resort, both for their
own sakes and for the sake of the
children. There is no excuse for a
woman who leaves her husband alone
for two or three months to seek her
own selfish pleasure. Such a wo-
man should not complain if she loses
the affection Of the man she has mar
ried, and indeed she is often to blame
for state of affairs which makes
him seek the companionship of others
in order to get rid of the loneliness
which Expresses him.
Everybody knows that the hot
weather taxes to the utmost our pow
ers of digestion, yet the deserted hus-
band eats his meals at any old place,
INDUCES in food which a wise house
wife would not set before him, and
not only that, but his meals are taken
at irregular hours and sometimes
omitted from sheer lack of interest
in them.
Few women realize the absolute
sinking of heart which comes to
man when he faces a lonely home.
Often the servant has been dismissed
and unmade beds, dusty furniture
and unwashed dishes are his welcome
after a busy day. 1t is as far away
from the hearthstone ideal as one can
conceive. Is 1t any wonder that such
man allows bitterness to creep in
as he thinks Of his wife, exquisitely
dressed, perfectly comfortable, enjoy
ing cool breezes while he swelters,
eating dainty and appetizing food and
happy In the society of other women
and perhaps of other men?
wish that every woman who has
hitherto consulted only her own COM
fort and ease in summer would re-
solve that she would be a vacation
wife as well as winter one. Home
is not an unpleasant place in sum
mer time if rooms are kept cool and
viands are on tap, and there are al
ways the weekend trips which hus-
band and wife may take together to
nearby resorts. The money that the
wife would spend on an elaborate
outfit and expensive board will pro-
vide tax1cabs and touring cars, will
make possible roofgarden supperS
and shore dinners, and there is no
limit to the influence that such Jolly
little jaunts together will have on the
future lives Of the man and of the
woman who loves him.
Put yourself in the mans place.
Suppose for one whole summer your
husband should leave you to Ioneli-
ness and the unshared burdens? You
viii say, perhaps. that there is no rea-
son why two people should be I'M
comfortable when one might be enjoy
ing cool breezes and quiet hooks. OF
course that is one point of view. The
other is that of the man you leave
behind. II you do not share his life.
| who Will? What of his lonely even
ings? Most men are sociable crea.
lures. Lacking the one who is near
est and dearest to them, they content
themselves with some less congeniaI
but more sympathetic person. And
this not because of any lack of moral
| force, but merely in a mans defiance
of conventions. He may see no harm
| in things that will cause other peO-
pie to gossip and to question. You
can best protect him by being with
him. All reasons of justice and Of
sympathy should hold you to his
| side.