Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-21
A PRIZE LETTER.
Afraid She Can't Stand Her Husband
Much Longer.

The American magazine has been
offering prizes for the best letters in
the contest entitled What Am Most
Afraid Of" The prize winning let
tiers are published in the March num-
Der. The following is an extract from
letter that won first prize:
MY husband is a man whom moth
ing suits; no matter how hard We try,
how well we do. anything. instead of
praise some fault is always found.
some defect pointed out, until all JOY
in accomplishment is lost.I have tried
to be true helpmate. to hold up my
end and do my part in the building of
the home.
my husband has a business paying
sure but moderate dividends, plenty
for US to live upon comfortably and
lay aside something for the future, but
we have always scrimped. could
never make the provisions last long
enough, though not scrap was
wasted, and / always dreaded to tell
him when anything was needed for
the family Often 1 have managed TO
earn a little money, and have bought
extra provisions in order to escape the
inevitable faultfnding attendant upon
any request for household wants. l
was saving and resourceful and would
have been glad even to scrimp when
necessary, If only little appreciation
had been accorded my efforts.
AT meals the principal topic of con-
versation was the high price of every
article of food, until all comfort was
gone and 1t would choke me, yet |
tried to put brave face upon the mat
ter and as often as possible introduce
some other subject.
How the little ones and l would do
the many chores about the house and
make all bright and CHEEKY, hoping to
please Papa but he had always a
grievance, was always faultflnding and
If there could be no possible complaint
made about things at home, he would
fret about business affairs. the wealth
er, hard times, what it cost us to live
on, and so on, until, insetad Of looking
forward to the homecoming of the
husband and father, we learned to
dread it and watched his face anxious
ly, seldom finding anything written
there but petulance and discomfort.
yet he is what would be called
good husband, with good morals, tenn
perate, Just and honest in business
dealings. yet sadly lacking in self-con-
troll and feeling free to vent all his dis
content upon his family, often by slam
ming of doors, and other childlike
modes Of expressing his anger. How
could I urge self-control upon my chill
dren when the simple announcement
that the -four or sugar was out, would
bring on such an exhibition of temper?
He was unwilling for me- to take an
active part in any church or charitable
organization, begrudging the time
given, and fearing some slight expense
might be incurred.
When l look forward to the time
that my children will have gone out
from the home for good, the dreadful
fear that will not be able to hold out,
comes upon me; the fear that I shall
be tempted to leave it all and go out
from my home and make a place for
myself, where peace and quiet will be
mine, is constantly before me-thc fear
that, after all these years of endurance
! shall fail, and render of no avail the
long struggle after right living, is
What Am Most Afraid Of"