Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-16

moralizing TO our characteristic Is con-
dennis us 10 live In an atmosphere In
which all that Is beautiful and ideal IN
life 'withers and dies as u blown upon by
the blast of a simeon.
This is true. There is no other such
blighting Influence in the world as do
nestle dseord. However. patiently borne,
II turns the very soul into an arid desert,
and nobody can blame the individual who
seeks 10 escape from this death-in-iife,
There is no answer to the contention
that We have right to save ourselves
from the purgatory or an unhappy mar
REG. except the wall of child, weeping
over the wreck Of Its home. That Is ma
lures relentless reply to the sophistries
of philosophy. That is duty's stern call
10 us to stand at our posts, whatever the
cost in suffering. and fulfill the ohli-
cations we have taken upon ourselves
When we have children We have given
hostages to fortune. and are no longer
free to seek our own happiness. 1t is
they who are to be considered first.
The childiess may be divorced, IL 1t
seems best to them, but above the noise
of warning couples with children comes
the cry of the helpless little ones who
are left fatherIess or motherless In the
breaking up Of home.
Listen to this pathetic. curious. IN
childish letter that comes to me from a
little girl. She writes in a little round
schoolgirl handwriting.
Dear Miss Dix: am Is years old.
and j read all your articles in The Bee.
Now. want you TO tell me what you
think Of my case. My home is about to
be broken up by a woman. OF course.
she is younger than my mother, but not
any better looking nor one-haf so good.
Tell me. please. is that the way the
world Is golngi Are there no more happy
homes7 Ny brothers and sisters and /
have made up our minds that we will
never get married No one could have
been more devoted than my mother has
been She has been a slave to US all, and
this is what she gets. Please answer me
soon. What do you think Of thief who
robs little children of their father?
"A HEARTBRoREN LITTLE GIRL
AVVt iAtft HhAs VIM az 10 years AAN7
seen all Of the gold rubbed off Of Cupid's
wings. and who has witnessed so many
family spats that she has resolved never
TO get married. Poor little girl, who At
Il years Judges between mother and
father, and contemporary condemns
father. Poor little girl. whose childhood
has been darkened By the sad and sordid
kpavrtAdCa ~ xrha
affinities and broken homes with her
baby sisters and brothers. and who bears
on her little shoulders the burden Of her
parents weakness and sin!
Doesn't the mere thought Of her bring
singing tears TO your eyes? And don't
you feel that nothing can justify the
parents in the way they are dolng2 Is
It not the plain duty Of that father and
mother to keep home together for their
children and to make their children happy
and give them the chance in life that
only children have who are brought up
in environment Of decent family life2
Compared TO the welfare Of these little
ones what Is the lure of some other wo-
man 10 the man? How small a matter
even to the wife's jealousy and right
eous indignation.
The real victims of divorce are the
children. not alone because they are made
half orphans and homeless by Il. but
because II destroys their faith in all that
il good and true How can you teach
purity to girl whose mother has the
slime Of the divorce courts on her gar
ments? How can you teach honor to thu
10y who knows Of his fathers dishonor
How can you teach steadfastness to duty
70 children who have seen their parents
turn eovardE away fur1 hard s.tu-