Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-09
Is Matrimony a
Bore?
By DOROTHY DIX.

By DOROTHY DIX.
tn HE Georgian has received many
letters in answer to this ques-
ton, and from disgruntled hus-
bands and wives that agree that the
domestic life Is one long yawn!
What is the cause Of this disillu-
sionment between two people who
have taken upon themselves the
greatest Of all burdens and fettered
themselves with the most unbreak-
able Of all ties just for the sake of al
ways being together?
Why do they so soon find that the
society of each pals upon the other?
What so quickly rubs the gilt of Of
the gingerbread?
Some correspondents give one rea-
son. Some another.
Here's a woman who signs herself
May B., who thinks that the reason
that matrimony is a bore is because
men regard 1t as an episode and not
life profession, and that as soon as
husband gets satiated with his wife
society he begins chasing after young
er and fairer women, which naturally
makes matrimony seem tiresome 10
the Wife. She writes:
Us matrimony "A bore2 So large a
percentage of marriages become
bore that the number of heart trag-
edies in the home is appalling.
The reason for this condition OF
affairs is legion. In the first place
bows and girls are not educated up TO
the responsibility of the ultimate
goal Of all human beings-a home OF
their own. II seems as If the most
sacred and important things IN Lhe
life of young America are left TOT
them TO absorb as best they may.
THE duties of wifehood and moth
erhood are seldom or never taught
girl. The proof of this is that the
public schools have felt compelled to
take the subject up and teach girls the
arts Of housewifery and scientlhc care
Of babies.
"As for the boys of the nation, the
fact that they will some day be nus
bands and have homes Of their own IS
treated as a joke while they are
Young. and anticipated with conster-
nation by other members OF the lam
ily when there seems a possibility OF
the son really marrying.
Marriage too often is looked upon
as an incident in mans life, and too
much as an end to all things III
wOman's.
Reformation Hard
1T is usually the man who starts the
hall a-rolling i'm the wrong dlrectoh'
old haunts and Old pleasures beckoh
him. If the call becomes lnslstenE
hubby is likely to lie to his me mate
and swing back to his old tastes, II
only for a nibble. Then married lie
beglns to grow monOtonous ana lrK-
some 10 him.
"Tf i'm the meantime. the wife mas
grown homely with age or care or Iost
her figure i'm child bearing, ana az
General houseworker in the services or
home. IL then becomes her part IN the
drama of life to remain in the nome
and nag or cry. e..
But if the woman mas oeeh iOI
tunate or unfortunate enough 10 Slue
track the babies, or has retained hef
youth instead Of nagging or crying
She NAV give him a Roland for ms
oliver i'm also seeking attractions OUT
side the home. And sooner or later
one or the other oversteps the bounus
and a divorce follows
'The trouble is there is a special
code of morals for the man Whlch
permits him to drain TO the dress
the cup of fast living with Its ac-
commanding excitement. And once the
blood it is there for keeps, although
il NAV be dormant for a while I'M
der the force Of a counter influence.
But there are few men who have rev.
eIed i'm the excitement of fast nv
ing that don't banker after wild
NIGHTS again to the detriment of the
alurements of home, although many
wives will tell you to the contrary,
bless their dear hearts, and where
ignorance is bliss it is folly TO De
wise
"But it is as hard a job to reform
a man as il is to teach an OLD dog
new tricks, particularly so when left
to an innocent ignorant wife, for a
woman must often exercise wisdom
and gentleness 10 hold man to her
faithful and true"
b. Nor takes the inCOntrONertible
pnint Of view that the reason mar
riage is a bore is simply because
husbands and wives are just men
and women. and it's human nature to
get tired of the thing we have and
want the thing we haven't got.
rs marriage a bOre2 tbs true,
marriage is a bore. Why2 Because II
is human nature. That is one very
good reason. Another. our present
code of morals. customs and educa-
ton do not tend to encourage con-
tcutment in marriage relations
Il say this in all sincerity and with
no desire to be vulgar Man is
born hunter. II is his disposition to
be aggressive. It is his nature to
prefer to chase his quarry. 1t is that
quality Of inherent combativeness
that enables him 10 wrestle with the
big financial and industrial problems
of his age He displays the same
spirit I'm his pleasures, in his sports
and in his loves. There is more truth
than poetry in the old saw Fruit out
of reach is most attractive
IAN male domestic and wild ami
mails chase the mating female. All
fowl do. Even among the savages
the primitive marriage ceremony is
more or less you-run -and-I-will-
caIch-yOu game.
The girls of the tribe are told TO
run down hin as fast as they can,
their prospective husbands running
after them I'm hot pursuit The girls
that run the fastest make the chase
the most exciting, therefore are the
most popular
IF Wives Were Only Wise!'
"In the stone age. we are told, the