The Washington herald., 1912-07-09
Topics of Interest to Every Woman
EDITED b
Is Love Blind +?
BY MISS FRANCES sHAFFER.

We have always been assured that
love is blind which has been inter-
preted to mean that there Is no such
thing as imperfections, faults and weak
nesses in the calendar of love, all Is
roseately beautiful and without a mar.
It presupposes that back of friendship
are human beings who may be faulty to
all others. perfect t. each other. and in
dicates that love goes on because a
kindly veil is thrown over loves eyes
which shuts out all but the good and
the true.
But. don't you believe that those who
love the most also see the most and
know every in and out. every up and
down Of the one to whom they give
their best affection?
And, after all, II is the most beauti-
full and acceptable tribute that can come
to us-to be given a steady, abiding af-
lection when there have been full. un-
softened looks at the under side Of char
acter
Sometimes il happens that the apparent
blindness on the part Of mother whose
little folk have grown unattractive, un-
appealing. positively ugly, because they
have been allowed to run loose, without
any kindly, guiding hand to keep them
within safe, wholesome bounds.
Do You believe she does not see? In
deed one thinks there is none so quick
as she to detect the fragrant lapses
from childish grace, which she sees only
too well. 1t is apparent in the flush that
steals over her face at the unruly man.
ifestations in the excuses she offers and
in the vague explanations she makes.
Yes, she sees and knows 1t all. AS to
why it stops there, that is another mat
tes.
L. ~ al
indeed where there is no social scale,
don't YOU remember what 1t is said al
ways happens to the one who interferes
in a family disturbance, when adjust
ment hinges upon mere physical
strength
Some one told a while ago Of a COM
mon street row in which a man and his
wife were at cross purposes. He was
the bigger and was fast demonstrate
his right to rule, when stranger inter-
fered, to save the woman a crushing
blow When II was all over and the
stranger had recovered from his sur
prise at her resentment of interference.
she told what a good man he vast
was only once in a while that he forgot!
Have you any notion that she does not
see him in all his ugliness, that her eyes
are closed TO his faults? Or. Ike Nancy
Skies, knowing all and seeing the mex
cusabIe all, does she still find some weak
ground for clinging to a love that Is
written all over with grfevous Snort
comings and sins?
Folk tell about the awakening that
sometimes comes in marriage, when
faults come TO the surface and the real
man and the real woman are known
without the gloss that stays during the
period of courtship: and they say the
shock of discovery weakens the tie.
There can be no hard-and-fast rule.
but one wonders II the quality Of love
was not a bit dimmed at the start, be-
cause steadfast love ought to be able
to withstand a few shocks and little
awakening
And one thinks that the very best Of
all is to know in advance to know all
the good and the warning and to be
quite sure that one can remain steadfast
through all the weaknesses, equally GER
tain of being loved in spite Of ones own
sorry shortcomings. One would choose
that there be no blindness. just forbear-
ance and tolerance
It's kind old world, after all.
Friends do make allowance for friends.
kindred for kindred, man for women and
woman for man.
II we could not and did not. what
a sorry lot of folk we would be,
For most of us are looking, not for
blindness, but for that kindly spirit that
says:
With all thy faults I love thee still.