Omaha daily bee., 1914-11-17

Perhaps such cases exist, but l am
sure they are far more rare than my
correspondents think. Not every woman
who thinks herself a fascinator could
substantiate her title TO the claim. Many
women have such Unsuitable appetite for
romance that they can manufacture II
out OF mere politeness on a mans part,
and they go about fitting the halo OF
lover on the unsuspecting head OF every
man they meet Many a man. who had
never felt any impulse stronger than
mere friendliness toward a woman would
fall dead with surprise IL he knew that
she believed him to be perishing OF a
hopeless passion for her
Therefore, l take with good many
grains of salt any wife and mothers as
sertion that men prosecute her with their
unwelcome attentions. In case, however,
that this is true, and some man has fallen
in love with her. there is no difficulty in
her putting an end to his philandering,
If she really wishes to do so.
It is only in melodramas that the vii
lain still pursues." In real life a woman
has only to say, Scat" to distansteful
lover. and say it in a tone OF voice as
If she meant it., and he seats over the
inson. The difficulty is to keep man in
love with you. not to prevent him from
getting tired of you, and wandering off
after younger and fairer face. Espe-
cially when you're old enough to be a
wife and mother.
In all good truth. the woman who is
really honest at heart and desires to run
straight has little to fear from men,
that he meets as to her moral principles.
II he ascertains that she il one of those
who is standing around looking out for a
tempter he qualities for the job, but IL
he recognizes that she is one of the pure
in heart he respects here innocence. 1t is
curious but true. that a man is equally
willing to lead a woman up or down.
AS matter of fact, men have such a
respect for goodness in a woman that
only the lowest and most degraded among
them would turn woman from the right
path II they could.
Even the most evil men, knowing too
much OF evil women have this ideal of
white and unsulied wifehood and moth
erhood. a shield that will protect her
from any Lothario if she cares to use It.
Not many men are so abandoned as to
thrust unweicome attentions upon an
honorable wife and mother and the mar
ried woman who finds herself in possess
sion Of lover has. at least, been guilty
of contributory negligence. Like Barkis
she has shown that she was willing"
OF course the situation often goes
beyond the limits the woman expected 1t
to. That's the trouble in playing with
fire. The married woman intended to be
true to her husband and children. She
merely desired to nibble once more at the
outer edge Of the cake of romance when
she began making eyes at her preacher
or doctor, or the family friend, and She
disconnected enough when she finds nut
that the man wants to play the game to
the end.
When a married woman begins dallying
along the primrose path. there's generally
something pitiful about it as well as sor-
did, because back OF her straying is The
feminine never-ending craving for senti-
ment and love, for something more han
the dry husks of matrimony.
She may have a good husband a good
home, all the comforts OF life. but her
husband never shows her any loverlike
attention, never notices how she looks,
never praises her. He apparently regards
her as just a cog in the domestic ma
chinery, and the heart of the woman,
starving for some real manifestation OF
a living affection, takes forbidden fruit.
II is mems indifference to their wives
that makes so many flirtatious wives.
This is, perhaps. no excuse for the women.
but It surely should be a warning to the
men,
No man who keeps his own live-making
up to the mark has anything to fear from
other men, and by the same token nc
woman is peStered with love talk who
doesn't lend listening ear to 1t. For
after all. the love game is not solitaire