Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-12-04

) ENTERTAINING ONES WIFE. :

A Letter from Pictorial Review.


A Letter from Pictorial Review.
Dear Editor: I am not the sort OF
woman who discusses her husbands
failings with her neighbors, and I do
not consider myself a martyr of matri-
mony. I am a fairly contented Wife
and mother. but I might be happier II
you could advise me Alright.
Here Is the situation. I have three
little children, and only a half grown
girl to help me. So 1 am tied pretty
closely to my home. An occasional aft
ernoon at the Woman's club or the
Ladies Aid or with the children at a
moving picture show breaks the round
of my household duties. Books and
magazines are my real pleasure.
My husband is part wner of a hard
ware store, and I dare say he works
as hard as I do. But in the evening,
what a difference between us! Every
afternoon I look forward to his return
as the reward Of my days work, and
every evening I feel the same sense of
disappointment. I change my dress,
have what Z am sure he will like for
supper. tuck my babies nto bed early
n then go out on the porch for an
hours companionship with my hus-
band. But what do I get? An occa-
sional "Uh-huh" from behind his paper
or around the stem Of his pipe.
l try to start conversation-not gos-
Sip, but on the news Of the day; what
l read and feel sure he has read; any
thing I've heard that I think might in
terest him. Monosyllables in reply.
ask him questions about the day
spent downtown. Anything interest
Ing happened at the store? No! Any
new goods come in? Nothing new!
My questions drop further apart. BY
and by there are nc sounds except
FOOTBALLS outside our fence, the hum Of
suddenly he stands up, saying: well,
I guess I'll lock up"
And another evening has been vast
ed.
|. Yet I know hat lying there in the
hammock he has been thinking of many
interesting things. He plans most Of
ms business moves at home. And it
over with me. for 1 am intelligent
enough to understand. and 1 never talk
OF my ~husbands's affairs outside.
BUT what is hardest to bear is this.
When callers come, he brightens up,
makes himself agreeable, entertains
them by telling funny stories about the
store and customers-th1ngs that /
would appreciate much better than any
OF n%eighbors or friends. This is
now I know just how much he could
tell me when We're alone if he thought
1t worth while to exert himself for me.
once l tried to discuss the question
with him. He claimed he is tired when
ne gets home that he wants to be quiet,
that home is a place for a mar to
rest. But it does not seem to tire him
to entertain callers. He does NOT like
10 go out evenings, but he is always
nice to people who call.
1 nave thought so much about this.
Know my husband loves me in his own
way n is good to me in his own way.
Put wish 1T We're a different way. I'd
ike to be as Well worth talking to as
my neighbors are. 1 want him to feel
that l am as worth entertaining now as
l was before he married me. Then he
round plenty to talk about.
This is a long letter. I have been a
long time deciding to write it. But my
problem is serious. If I were the sort
OF woman who has many women
friends, of If we had the means to be
more sociable. it would be different.
But 1 must find my happiness in my
nome, n my husband is the biggest
nsure In my home. 1 want to keep in
!ouch with him. with the outside world
men.
Sometimes 1 feel almost ashamed "a
lind that 1 rave stood talking ( or
~ minutes with the bright young man
who delivers u groceries or to some
agent trying to sell me a patent stove
inter or book. But I realize that talk
to them because 1 want to hear about
the outside world where my husband
works: I get tired Of the things women
talk about.
Perhaps other wives feel the same
way. Perhaps in answering my letter
you may answer the unwritten letters
OF other wives. Show US how to keeu
in touch with our husbands.