The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1914-10-10
BEANS AND
| (. BERCSON

u Inc SOULFUL woman and a FRIEND
were sitting on the piazza earnestly
discussing Bergson and his philos
ophy. They had been reading a cri
tique OF the man, his style, his atti
tude toward life by Burroughs, and
they were quite warmly arguing the
merits Of the two and their view
points.
At last, in pause in the talk, the
friend said suddenly, Il smell some
thing burning"
'Beans!" exclaimed the Soulful
Woman, jumping and running to the
kitchen. .I
The friend followed. Are they
burnt much?" she asked sympathetic
ally.
Black" said the Soulful Woman
The two gazed at the ruins in the
enameled kettle.
Il guess beans and Bergson do not
mix observed the Soulful Woman,
ruefully.
But / would rather have Bergson
without beans than beans without
Bergson, wouldn't your" queries the
friend.
YES" replied the Soulful Woman.
Il would. But my husband would
not"
Il guess that Is true" admitted the
friend. Beans are much more i'm.
portant to most men than Bergson.
] imagine that you and ] and many
another woman could witness with
eQuanimity the destruction of an en-
tire dinner through our interest in
some intellectual subject. We might
not approve Of such carelessness or
forgetfulness, but We could cheerful.
ly turn to a repast of bread and but
ter or bread and milk and go On en-.
joyably without discussions. But let
the average man--for consider our
selves the average woman-lose his
dinner because OF his wifes absorb.
ton in Browning or higher mathemat-
les, or something of the kind. and
the heavens would fall. It's odd, isn't
it?"
TITS quite true responded the Soul.
full Woman, gazing reflectively at the
beans and wondering what she could
replace them with for dinner. Food
certainly means a lot to a man."
Il wonder II 1t is really the fact
Of not getting just the food that he
wants." unused the friend, "or II the
reason goes a bit deeper than that.
II, for instance man and friend
were camping or keeping house for
themselves, and got tremendously in
terested in discussing fishing or base
ball. or anything like that, and their
dinner burnt, ! think they would
laugh over it the same as we do and
good naturedly hustle around and
get something else"
Il guess they would" agreed the
Soulful Woman. "But you know as
well as / do that Tom will think /
am awfully careless to let those
beans burn because of Bergson. And
so would most men,"
And so would We II our cook let
them burn while she was discussing
Wordsworth with the policeman.
But that's different.
mot much. She might be trying to
uplft her soul-or the policeman's."
Our husbands do not look upon
us as servants" responded the Soul
full Woman with spirit.
"Of course not. But they do look
upon us as guardians OF their COM
fort. AS their wife, they expect
from US, among other things. certain
considerations In regard to their wei
fare. And when we are careless or
neglectful of these. especially for
something or far less moment than
their well being, they feel resentful
or hurt. ! think II we would let
them know 1t was not because we
were forgetful or Indifferent of them
or careless as to their happiness, or
thinking more of Browning or Berg
son than we were of their beans, but
that We were thinking of their tastes
when We cooked the beans and that
the untoward accident whatever it
may be that has spoiled the dinner
or upset the harmony of the home
was an accident pure and simple and
not an evidence of lessening regard
for their comfort. I think they would
laugh over 1t as we do. 1t is only
when It seems pure carelessness or
thoughtfulness or selfishness that
they resent it,"
I'm tell Tom am heartbroken