The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-09-15
SATURDAY.
SERM0eSSyso
Sx1ITHM
RNSAMUELW. PURvIS.D DID,
YOUR OLD SWEETHEART.

The trouble with men is they for
get. They don't mean to DO grouchy
and inconsiderate; they are simply
thoughtless and forgetful OF the wo-
man whom they love better than they
love their own lives. Let me take you
back again tonight, brother, to your
wedding day. Whether in church, par
sonage or little parlor Of her home
where you spent many happy court
ing hour. She said, "Jim, I've only
one life to live, but I'm going to cast
Il with you. I've had happy girl
hood and a good home, but I'm willing
to risk all to go with you. whittier
thou goest will go. Thy people shall
be my people; thy God shall be my
God. Where you die will die" And
there In the glory OF that June day she
gave up her girlhood, her home. her
name, her all, to follow you. Those
were happy days. Life was one grand
sweet song. There were dsappoint-
ments on both sides. She wasn't the
housekeeper you had hoped. But you
didn't marry her for that She wae
pretty and vivacious, and that was all
you saw or asked. She didn't pretend
to be related to Mrs. Rorer or Marion
Harland. II a fellow falls in love
with a girl for the graceful way she
serves Ice cream at picnic, and she
admires him because he is such good
ball player, they neither have any right
to expect perfection in everything else.
II you find some unpleasant traits keep
still and take your medicine.
Honor to Whom, Honor 10 Due.
That was years ago. Now, as you
look back and see your present sue
cess, II you are honest you will admit
"she" has made you. "Yonder sits the
real president of the United States. If
she had left me alone I should now be
doing on the circuit court BENCH said
our genial president to New York
audience II was true. He would
have dozed along, played some golf,
taken things easy and smiled But
she wanted her husband to get on In
the world. In the efforts to meet his
wife's expectation he discovered latent
powers of which he little dreamed.
Man is but half circle. He needs
wife to make him complete. Some
times a tragedy happens. That wife
wears out her youth and her beauty,
loses her attractiveness, over the cook
n ., I,,nI bot
the bearing and caring for children, in
her unselfsh efforts to help him on In
the world. Some night he walks in
the limelight of fame, and she stands
in the shadow of his prosperity and
power, stopped form, gray haired,
wrinkled faced, faded-the most pa
thetic figure God ever looked upon.
Have you ever thought when your
wife was washing on Monday, ironing
on Tuesday, sewing on Wednesday,
preserving on Thursday, sweeping on
Friday, baking on Saturday and enter
tanning raft Of your poor relatives on
Sunday of the awful grind of her
never ending work? The average man
knows as little of the nerve wear OF
household cares as the man in the
moon.
Who Is "Boss7"
The question that has wrecked more
homes than any other Is, "Who is
bossY l don't know. Society has
constituted the husband and father the
official representative Of the family.
Legal proceedings are instituted by or
against him. He is held for debt,
taxes and damages. The Bible says,
1.-THE husband is the head Of the wife,
even as Christ Is head of the church,"
which sets tremendously high stand
ard for the husband Legally and
Scripturally, then, a husband is head"
OF family. He goes out to earn and
to fight for his family. His dead body
should lie across the doorstep before
harm comes to wife or children. He
has big task. AS to whose authority
should be supreme In q household
there should be no1uch question. Be-
tween rational people all matters are
settled on rational ground, mutual
concessions and mutual compromises.
Your Old Sweetheart
Next to your old mother who's dead
and gone, the best friend you've ever
had Is that brave little wife Of yours.
Remember the time you went
wrongT If ever you needed an angel
from God It was then. How quick
she was to forgive When through
your blunder your money took wings
she fixed up her old hat and turned
her dress once more. Tears started to
her eyes when neighbors glanced sig
nihcantly. But never mind, It was
FOR your sake. When you were sick
she cooked little dainties, sat and read
to you, quoted bits Of Scripture, strok-
ed your hot temples and told you of
the land where there Is no pain. To-
night while you are asleep she will be
up with the children. Get out those
old love letters, brother, and read the
spirit Of them, fragrant as lavender.
Tomorrow morning when the stove
goes wrong and a hurried, harassed
face glances across the table be a
lover once more. Say, wife, those
biscuits are fine, meat is delicious, cot
fee is like mother used to make"
Kiss her goodby at the door. See her
smile through her tears. She'll sing