, 1912-11-13

Nice house outside Wimbledon, as were less
built over than nor it is now,
Almost the first thing I noticed was az
there we're neither lock nor bolt to the front
door. 1t were not safe, as | told the cook,
and ] asked her if she wouldn't speak about
it. She put me off at the time, saying as no
burglar ever thought of trying the front
door, but later l got the whole story out of
her. That poor LAZY weren't no widow.
SLeA1 been deserted by her husband four
years~before. Since then, she had always
expected him to come back to her. And
whatever hour Of the day or night it migYt
be, he was to find the house open to HIM,
I've done a bit of forgIving myseIt-Murphy
used to keep ne busy at it-but [ never
reached that class. 70 my mind the poor
lady went too far. Forgiveness is all very WELL
but you don't want to put no premium or
that kind of thing.
Pride's another thing as helps to keep the
home together. When 1 were a little girl
ut the-Sunday-schooi, | were taught as pride
were a sin. Maybe it is. But if you tell u
man he amt got none you're Ii tely to get
Il rough answer. Fact is, we've all got II bit.
We none Of us wants oar neighbours to
know everything abont MS. II yon has u
misfortune in the family, that's bad enough
without having a lot OF acqlaiutances SYN
ptthising and looking down on Won. WY,
Just at first, Murphy himself would never 20
to no pawnbroker's nor let me go neither.
He'd give an Old woman t~wopence to take
the things for US. Later on he Weren't So
Particular, and towards the end there
weren't nothing to take.
Yes, pride has It's usos. It's kept many q
man out of prison, AMI, a l says, it's kept
many a couple together us would otherwise
have chucked it. A man thinks he's going
10 marry "a angel with a git tor cooking,
and finds out later as he's got nothing but
Il woman with a peppary temper, as is ever
lasting telling him what he'd better do next.
The woman thinks She's picked il winner,
and finds she's only married one Of the also
ran. Well, if they has any pride, they don't
run bleating about their dlsappointmf nts al
round the place. They gets used to it gradu-
al. There's q bit OF give-and-take, the wo-
man doing most of the giving; and things
shake down.
But, Of course, whom the kids come along.
that's the best safeguard of the lot. When
two people is interested in the same bust
ness, they cant afford to quarrel LeaStwise
not permanent, as a general rule. Some few
IS booked for a buSt-up whatever happens.
What we've got to look at IS the voice Of
experience. This here world has been going
on for-well, ever siuce it starts. And there's
no doubt we've done II lot in the time in the
way of alterations and improvements. But
we amt made no change III love, and people
is getting married just as per usual. That
shows as it's one OF the things as has got to
be.
I've heard some women say as tEey
didn't want nothing TO do with love. They
hated all men, and they wanted the vote.
Well, such talk is a harmless kind of gas-es-
cape. II it means anything, which as a rule
it don't, it means as they amt got the full
~ifty.two cards i'll their pack, and is q object
for pity according.
0 the other hand, there's plenty of poe
t~ry-hooks and such as goes too far the other
way. Love aiu't everything. It's got to
leave q man time for his meals and time to
earn them. There's a few things to do out
side Of love-makiug. And what's the use of
talking about loving OF "a girl for ever till the
sea gives up it's dead? Love don't last for
ever. 1t lasts for the run of the piece. And
that is as it may be, and different in differ
ent cases.
Loves a thing as has got to be. You've