The Press., 1914-12-30
A New Year s Prescription
By SARAH BAXTER

seemed to have difficulty in announc- ing it.
 Jim, want you to get me a di- vorce," he said at last.
 "Whatr'
 "A divorce. Edith and I can't get on together any longer
 'Whose fault is it?'' asked Jim.
 "Whose fault is it? Why, it certain ly isn't mine. The truth is Edith is continually making mountains out of molehills.''
 The lawyer looked grave and said:
 "The smaller affairs of life are more in keeping with woman's nature than mans. How do you know that you're not making molehills out of mOuntainS!'
 What do you meanW
 "Why, it's quite likely that you have very important faults that you do not consider at all. Perhaps you are un- conscious of them. and yet they may be breaking up your home. Now, this is good time to remedy them. The new year is at hand, when we all eX- pect to take q fresh start. New Years resolutions are in order. l will give you a rule of action for the next twelve months. and if you adhere to it you won't want me to secure divorce for you.'
 What is it?'
 Instead of replying the lawyer wrote something on a bit of paper, put it in an envelope. sealed it and wrote on it ITO be opened New Years morning." Then he handed 1t to GoOding.
 The next morning Mrs. Gooding ap- peared at the law office. She did not know of her husbands appearance there the day before, and OIcott did not mention it.
 Jim" she said. its all up between Tom and me. l want you to get me a divorce
 "IS there any special accusation you have to make against TOm?"
 ''Only that he rubs me the wrong way all the time.''
 Olcott looked up at the ceiling
 How long will it take to separate us SDe aSKeu.
 No time at all. All you have to do is not to go back to the house."
 II mean legally"
 ''Oh. You wish to marry again?"
 No such thing. Why do you say that?'
 in your case in legal separation. Do you still love your husband|'
 ''Of course I do! It's on his"-
 Never mind his faults. Would you prefer to keep your home as it is if you could get on together?"
 Certainly"
 Edith" said the lawyer after pause. tomorrow will begin the new year. I will give you a rule for your guidance, and if you will follow 1t l guarantee that you won't need a di- vOrce."
 What is it?"
 Olcott wrote a few words on bit of paper and, after sealing and ad- dressing it as he had in the case of her husband, handed it to her, saying:
 "Take that. and, as the doctors say when they give you a prescription. if 1t doesn't cure you let me know and I'H begin divorce proceedings"
 New Years morning was pleasant, and after breakfast Tom Gooding said to his wife:
 sweetheart. don't you think, this being a holiday. we'd better make some sort of trip?"
 '"The very thing. Holidays are best utilized. To sit around at home doing nothing is depressing"
 50 they arranged for an outing.
 The next day when the husband was about to go to business his wife asked him if he would go to a dry goods store, six blocks out of his way. and buy her a spool of thread of certain hue He bristled up. but suddenly sur prised her by very affably agreeing to obIige her. But he was too late With q kiss she said that she had no busi- ness to trouble him with such small matters when he had so many big ones on his mind. She was going to the shopping district anyway and would attend to the matter herself.
 These are samples of many such in stances by which petty quarrels were avoided. and every day showed an i'm provement ill the couples domestic re- Iations. Often when they bristled at some fancied cause for dispute one or the other would suddenly stop as if having remembered something and swing around like weather cock from the bitter north to the balmy south. Scarcely a month passed before one day Mrs. GOoding put her arm about her husbands neck and said:
 Tom. I've confession to make"
 What is it, sweetheart?"
 Last December l gave up trying to live with you and went to Jim OlcOtt for divorce. He wrote me prescrip- tion. began to practice it on New Years day. It has shown me that our troubles were all my fault
 What was the prescription? asked the husband. opening his eyes very wide.
 Hook within yourself
 Tom GOoding'S only reply was hug StIu hlSSCS. ANOl d "OIu uuN tug received the same prescription himself.
 And yet there are those who claim that man iS the nObler animal.
 Women and Men.
 Woman began at zero and has through ages slowly unfOlded and risen. Each age has protested against growth as unsexing woman. Men might spin and churn and knit and sew and cook and rock the cradle for generations and not be women. And woman will not become man by exter. nal occupations. Gods colors do not wash out: sex is dyed in the wool. Henry Ward Beecher.