The Washington herald., 1914-12-25

She felt sure he was the right This time,
thinking of those Others, she was more careful
Everything he said and did she approved.
In a few months she was married. She had
her own home now. She felt happy and successful
Presently the woman began to look about She
found that she had new point of view. She COM
pared herself with other married women that she
knew Many were better of. Their husbands
were more successful than her husband She decided
that he must become more successful Then they
could live in house just as fine the houses
of those other married women, perhaps finer. She
would have better place in the world.
That night she talked the matter over with her
husband, slight frown her face.
He seemed to be little surprised; but he
answered her questions readily enough.
at strikes me-" she remarked, "that man Of
your age and ability ought to be further ahead in
the world"
His face flushed. He said nothing.
. From that day the woman grew more critical
Whenever she went to the house of a neighbor
she made comparisons, nearly always to her own
disadvantage. Not only this house or that
larger and better furnished than her own, but this
wife or that dressed better than she did, wore
more jewelry, or had automobile.
After time the woman became obsessed with
the thought that she did not have automobile
One night she spoke ofit to her husband. Il can't
afford to buy an automobile" he said.
She broke out: well, if you only had more
brains and push, you could afford it all right Why
do you suppose other women's husbands have
automobiles?
He looked at her through narrowed eyes.
Didn't you know what kind OF man it was you
married?" he asked
81 knew perfectly we'll was marrying poor
man. But didn't think we'd be poor all our lives.
If had I'd never have married you. / could have
done better, anyway"
He walked out of the room.
She sat down and began to cry. That remark
of hers kept echoing in her mind: Il could have
done better, anyway" 1t made her pity herself
After an interval she stopped crying and she
resolved to act as if nothing had happened. When
he came back she spoke pleasantly But he only
grunted. She felt hurt, and she did not speak to
him again during the evening.
Soon the woman began to wonder if she had
married the right man after all The longer she
lived with her husband the more faults she saw
in him, and the more weaknesses. She assured
herself that if she had seen him as he really was
she would never have married him. She began to
talk about him to her relatives, and to her friends
and neghbors. She didn't notice that some of them
her and said it was a shame. One, a woman she
rather dislked for being, as she thought, superior
and conceited remarked: Husbands are what
wives make them There's no such thing as a
perfect husband for the simple reason that there S
no such thing as perfect wife. Marriage is like
a garden. We can let weeds grow there or we
can make flowers grow" She went away, disliking
that neighbor more than she had done before and
feeling that as she told friend the neighbor had
been hitting at her.
At home in presence of her husband, the woman
adopted an air of severity. He seemed not to
notice. But whenever, for interval, she became
pleasant she noticed that he would look at her
with an expression in his face curiousy inquiring
and suspicious. After time those pleasant inter
walls ceased. The manner of severity became
habitual
Suddenly the husband began to prosper. He
gave his wife larger allowance He built inner
house. He bought automobile.
The woman began to be proud OF him.
At home she wore a manner of approving
cheerfuness She went about radiant frequently
speaking of her husband with enthusiasm. But she
noticed that her neighbors and her friends did not
seem to be pleased. She suspected them of being
jealous. Some of them she ignored when she met
them in the street, converting them into enemies.
After ALL she assured herself, she could get along
without them. She lived in different world now.
When she had adjusted herself to the new
world, however, she found it disappointing. Even
riding about in the automobile grew tresome. Be-
sides, there were women who had automobiles
much more costly and more than one automobile,
too. And as for her husband, he was so absorbed
in business that she saw very little of him. Several
times week he dined down town, leaving her to
dine in lonely splendor.
Once, in a paroxysm of defeat she broke into
reproaches. He listened with puzzled and re-
sentful expression in his face. At last, with ex-
ASPIRATION he said: Haven't l given you every
thing you wantp
Between her sobs she replied: No. you
haven't"
what more do you want then?"
With difficulty she controlled herself. Il want
your love"
For few moments he looked at her in silence,
as if studying queer specimen. Then he laughed
contemptuously and, turning, he left the room.
Worth Something
The primary has lost its novelty in Oregon. and