The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-29
Case Of Love
At First Sight

isl S4HAA-
Arthur always said that he feII in
love with me the first time he saw me
as came floating down the staircase
at his mothers IN my long white dress,
but at the beginning I only saw in him
g subject for reformation, and when I
began 70 know him better he alternate
y attracted and repealed me.
7 TUNED in disgust from his whisky
laden breath as he bent above ne. I
actually sickened sometimes az the
touch OF his unsteady fingers. and I
burned with q vicariOUs shame for him
hen saw other men-the men who
had made good and were doine. mems
part IN the world-turn from him with a
contempt they could not help show for
one who was an utter failure
but ne fascinated ms also by his
knowledge OF the world, that deep. dark
knoWledge that has It's CLEAN OF 70
nance for all good women because II fs
50 utterly outside Of their own expert
e en- e; Inen was sorry for him. and
All the latent motherhood in ne rose I'd
20 pity and protect this poor, defornned
warped. weak child of humanity.
Above al he leaned on me. he an
peaied 70 me- he made me feel in =
thousand ways that II I abandoned bfr-
every prop would be gone, every link
mat bound him 10 respectabli1y would
He used 20 call me his Guardian
angel, and he told me that could save
him He made me believe that my in
tiuence over him was paramount, and
mat Z 1 would marry him he would
never thirst for a highbaU again. nor
care 20 play a game OF cards OF look
lpon anoLher woman, and that If he
only bad me to zerk for that Il would
III him with the tnergy and fnduStry. 10
accomplish marve 3 Of achievement
was very yo-- 3g and inexperienced.
and nlied with tlIe BELIEF that heaven
had destined me 70 be q refo-mer. and
! was doped-hypnOJize
with the Illusion OF my own wonderful
uplifting influence over this man
Il didn't see myself as the drunk
ards wife. I had visions OF myself as
always standing IN q stained-glass at
titude with a halo around my head, and
my hand OutstTetched to a man who, by
my help, was climbing I'D 70 the
heights on which I reDosed-
Love DIfere1t
Than She Expected
MY feeling tc- Arthur wasn't the
kind OF love bat I had always supposed
that I woutd feel for the man I mar
Tisd. but It seemed 70 me something In
nnitely higher and nobIer. 1 wasn't
thrilled when he touched my hand 7
had the solemn upltfted emotion that
you experience sometimes IN church
when YOU listen 20 grand organ music.
~And so 1 married for the very best
that was In me-the very best that is
IN any human teing-the thing that
makes US sacrifice ourselves for another.
Because he was weak and I strong, BE-
cause he was bad and was good. be-
cause I believed with al the inexperi-
ence and optimism and unconscious ego
tism Of youth that tins life had been
given into my hands for redemption,
this soul for my salvation, 7 laid nay
youth. my happiness. my beautiful pros
peOtS-al that a woman may hope for in
the UOrld-upOn the marriage altar.
I have seen, since then, this same
sacrifcial Offering OF the little white
l eve lamb, often and often So many
women marry men TO try to save them,
and the sacrifice IS always so pTtiabIy
useless and Intellectual, for the time
comes when every woman faces the
bitter truth that II a man Is not q
( man for the sake OF his own manhood
I he VIII never become one FOR the sake
/ OF any woman-especialIy after lie is
married TO her.
Mine IS the saddest reason Of all
( Tor which a woman ever marries. be-
cause II is the noblest and the sT-rest
TO be a failure and we can stand all
! else, we women. except the shattering
/ Of our gods. When they break, our
I hearts break with them