South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-30
A FiCtiOnlesS Fable
Being About the Ideal Marriage.
By Anr isle

DN +AHi l1iSit.
There were once two brothers who
had reached manhoOds estate and felt
il was time to take unto themselves
wives one had theories about mar
riage and the other was in love with
a woman
Said the theorist: "Opposites at
tract. I, being a tall, slender blond,
shall marry a short. plump brunette.
That Will he we'll from the eugenic
point OF view, and besides. we will af-
ford a pleasing contrast 10 the eye of
the beholder l am fond of art mu-
sic and home life. so / shall wed a
woman who likes outdoor sports,
books and travel That will give us
a wide field OF interests. / am phelg-
matte and Indifferent so I shall marry
a woman who is excitable and high
strung. Then we will stimulate each
other"
heart partly because she Is dear 10
me and partly because the same things
are dear to each of US. We enjoy
each others pet enjOyments. We are
Outwardly a bit alike, tool have
heard people say we look almost as
if we might be brother an sister-but
we are more than a bit alike In the
mental traits We like the same peo-
pie. 1 like great many Of the char
mircd in myself She is just enough
shorter than l TO reach my heart. and
she is just enough plumper TO be
femininely alluring. We don't clash
on opinions and we don't offer enough
physical contrast 10 attract the atten-
ton Of Others-but we do attract each
other"
So the theOTist married his OppO-
site and the lover married his coun-
terpart.
And this is what happened: The
opposites attracted each other-but
not for long. The little brunette came
10 realize that her tall thin blond
husband made her look dark and
chunky by contrast and she hated to
be seen out with him. He. on the
other hand found that volume of
poetry could not offer him solace for
the concerts to which his wife would
not accompany him. And a wife on
the golf links is not worth two on the
hearthrug. Nor does ability 10 row a
boat 0resuppose a talent for steering
the matrimonial craft. And a tall.
thin husband does not feel the same
urge to take cross-cOuntry walks with
mis- tub of a wife" that a fance
knows about romantic StrOlling with
his dear little "pleasingly plump"
sweetheart.
So the theorist and his wife went
their various ways-he with long.
laCkadaisical strides rOamed after a
popular singer who could manage
chatting dish very we'll. And she. with
perry nervousness. betoOk herself
10 a divorce court For in the end
opposites attract-their likes,
And the lover and his wife went
ploddinr along. She loved his sleek
dark hair. and he adored the wave in
her duSkv treSSeS. And she thought
his rudy complexion the perfection
of brunette charlottesville he loved
the clear olive of her cheeks. She
could just reach his heart. so he
stopped down often 20 make il easier
for her. They were so alike that they
understood each other admirably.
And yet-being two separate hui
mans. they knew tn impenetrabie
solitude that every one has 10 suffer.
only il was easy TO bridge differences
with understanding. If he grew tired
of SChopenhauer and wanted TO read
Ouida, she could understand that. for
did not she often weary of grand
opera scores and long 10 hear only fox
trOts
And every one said: isn't that
nice couple, How like each other they
grow"
And the moral of that is that If YOU
are a little swallow hreasting the air,
there is no reason why you should
imagine it your destiny 10 go plunging
into a brook TO consort with speckled
trout