The Washington herald., 1911-05-01
THINGS THAT MEN
CAN'T UNDERSTAND
No. 9-Why Does a Wife Have
to Be Told Constantly Her
Husband Loves Her.
Bx DOROTHY DIX.

1.-The thing that l can't understand
about women" said the fourth man, lis
why you have to be continually telling a
woman of your love to keep her pacified.
1T doesn't make particle OF difference
what you do to prove your affection. You
may work for a woman like dray horse,
and fetch and carry for her like a dog,
and sacrifice yourself before her like a
blooming martyr After you've killed
yourself for her. as a slight proof of
your devotion, she'll call on your shade
to ask 1t: DO you love me-?
"On the other hand. you may beat her
and starve her and neglect her, and if
you'll swear in good round oaths every
day how you adore her. she'll go around
Dragging about what a perfect husband
she's got, and what a lucky draw she
made in the matrimonial lottery. Yes,
and by George, all the other women will
envy her.
Now. 1t never occurs to a man to ask
his wife If she loves him. She has as
sured him that she did. and married him
to prove it, and. to his mind gives ample
confirmation that her feelings haven t
changed by putting up with his cranks
and doing thousand things every day to
make him comfortable.
so he let's 1t go at that. He isn't al
way trying to take the temperature of
her affections, nor lying awake at night
wondering if she is ceasing to care for
him because he is getting fat and bald.
Those Sweet, Pious Perjuries.
But that's exactly what a woman does
unless her husband tells her every day
that she gets younger and prettier all the
time. and that, if she should die. he
would throw himself into the river. Prob
ably the woman knows that all these
things are lies; but it makes her so hap
py to hear them that a man is a stingy
brute who refrains from handing her out
few of these pious perjuries.
'Of course, 1t takes good many years
of matrimony for a man to find out what
an over-valuation women put on soft
talk, but when he does he's got the magic
combination by which he can work q
woman to a finish.
It's a little trouble naturally to he
always tanning your wife with hot air.
but ii makes her blissfIl and enables
you to do what YOU please, and so its
worth all the effort
Now. I married a girl with whom 1
vas madly in love. She was above me
in social station and wealth, and 1 had
the foolish idea that the way to show
my devotion to her. and my apprecia ton
Of the sacrifice she had made for love of
me. was to set busy ana justify her
choice of a husband by making a man
Of myself
So i bumped my shoulders and work.
ed for all I was worth. Finally I woke
up one day. to the fact that my wife
was thin, and haggard, and had
broken-hearted look about her.
She Simply Wanted to BE Told.
Il was frightened. and entreated her
to tell me what was the matter. and
with tears and sobs she replied that It
was because I didn't love her
Not love YOU 1 cried. why / wor-
ship the very ground you walk on.
Don't you see that I am working my
self to death for your sake, because I
don't think there's anything good enough
for you, and l want you to have the
best?
well, If you love me why didn't you
tell me so?' she exclaimed. and that's
the way Of II. A woman is Just as much
bound to be continually told that she is
loved, as she is compelled to have daily
food and drink
That little episode with my wife put
me wise. and ever since I have worn a
string around my finger, so. to speak to
remind me to pay my wife a few COM
pliments every morning: and those little
foolish words have made all the strug-
giles. and labor, and suffering of wife
hood and motherhood worth while to her.
It's queer thing this mania. this
obsession women have for being told that
they are loved, but 1t makes the way
easy for any man who is a glib talker"