The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-08-26
A PLEA FOR
THE YOUNG WIFE.


the wife of David Copperleld. We
find her In the beginning Of her ro-
nance an irresponsible, affectionate
little creature, loving Jip, her dog, and
petting him before her lovers eyes to
David's great discontinue. Later we
see her in her home, an adored wire,
but an incompetent one. And, final
~, we see her dying and David weep
ing over the loss of his child Wife
Yet If Dora had not died what
would have happened? The chances
are that David would have tired or her.
He had loved her because of her beau
| ty, her coaxing ways, her curls, her
blue ribbons. After marriage. now
ever, he demanded that she at once
become a sober and competent house,
wife. When she could not live up to
this ideal he hid his disappointment
as best he could.
David was an exceptional man, with
| infinite love and compassion, but manx
men do not have patience. They ex-
pect the light hearted girls they marry
to be transformed at once into expert
managers Yet a girl must serve her
apprenticeship at wifehood, and the
man who realizes this and does not too
soon condemn her will find greater
happiness than he who demands toe
much in the beginning.
know of a case in which the hus-
band was ten years older than his
butterfly wife. When he wooed her he
knew that she had never assumed any
responsibility. He knew, too, thai
iAazEaarar:
Of fact. a little tact and Realization
OF the value of her buoyant Qualities
would have saved him much future
unhappiness. He might have helped
her grow; instead he subdued her
bright spirit, until from very WEAKNESS
she became irritable and obstinate.
IL ended, as might have been ex-
pected in divorce. She chafed at
what she called his tyranny and he
hung back at her the fact Of her in
competence.
A young husband does not realize
how much he has to do In the making
OF domestic happiness. His child wife
comes to him with her heart full of
love and dreams and ideals. She wants
to do the things which will make him
happy. The trouble lies in the fact
that she does not know how to make
ner dreams real, so she stumbles along
olindly, often without a helping hand;
and youth goes from her, and bright
ness. and she becomes a little hard a
little bitter and then in the end a
| failure.
A certain little woman has told me
OF her struggle during the first year
Of married life.
| i
My lover had adored me; he had told
me that l was a saint, a goddess on
q pedestal He never spoke to me of
practical things or seemed to want to
have me discuss them. The last years
OF my single life had been passed at
a fashionable boarding school. He
was proud of the finished manners,
the social experience that 1 had ac-
CURED. He spoke only of these things.
and gained an idea that he required
nothing else
After marriage 1t s,eemed to me that
everything came upon me in a perfect
avalanche. 1 found that my husband
mad tastes and requirements of which
had known nothing. He was fas-
| tidious at table and his bachelor DAYS.
which had been passed for several
years at the club, had taught him to
be exacting in service. We were not
rich and l could not hire expensive
servants. / had to do all my own plan
ming and to keep strict supervision
over my household affairs. This was
not prepared to do, and my husband
instead of suggesting and encourage
ing and teaching me, simply COM
planned and condemned until I was
worn out. Fortunately I had a good
deal of pride. 1 set myself to learn
the things that had to be learned, and
in the end became what he wanted,
perfect nousekeeper Yet he lost
what he will never regain-my tender
regard, my confidence in his chivalrous
protection. When we first married he
was my lover and my knight Today
he Is my partner in a domestic con-
tract. We do not clash because keen
things running smoothly. He respects
me, and in many ways I admire him.
but the girl that was in me is dead;
he killed part of me in those first
days OF our welded life"
Men should think of this when they
marry child wives. To hold love is
great thing, and love can be held.
wherever sympathy and understanding
are aroused as a means to an end
rather than complaint and condemna-
ton.