The Washington times., 1915-06-26

ct do not deny that certain small
groups of men here and there have
excelled In the art OF conversation,
but they were not average men, and
they were not oratorically minded.
as Is the average man in this coun-
try. The average woman approaches
people and events without any pre-
conceived ideas making them seem
alive and enlivening them with hap
py phrases, and often Illuminating
what she says with a deep mimicry.
Especially Is the average wife a
husband, A terrible blight falls
over the average male in the
bosom Of his family. outside. in
the club, he may be charming
talker. and the orator in him who
uses symbols for thought tempor-
arily' dies. But enter the home.
and you find him dealing out sen
tentious comment. instructing.
lecturing, striving to mould the
joyous and new minded individu-
alities of his sons and daughters
into heaven knows what forlorn
and convenentionalized image of
what a boy and girl ought to be.
the average husband, Is what
causes the bird of Joy to depart In
thousands OF homes as well as In
that ofmy Cousin Elizabeth's.
First Duty of Wife.
ut is evidently the duty as we'll
as the policy. Of all in the house
hold to listen. Perhaps the first
duty Of a wife Is to take her hus-
band seriously. The wise woman
realizes that since her husband
has probably come to STAY his pc
culiarities have come with him.
and as long as his love for in
structing his wife and children
continues she had better stifle any
desire for fippancy.
Here Is the real reason that peo-
pie have for saying that women
have no sense OF humor. AS long as
the husband 10 sententious q sense
Of humor In the home would be as
dangerous as dynamite. There are
many young girls who start out well
equipped In this respect. but mar
laughter. which shows disrcspec. for
a mans opinion, kills his self-respect
and his love for his wife at one and
the same instant, just as one ribald
laugh would wilt the flowerlest
alumni after dinner speaker.
can enjoy that gratifying feeling OF
.uperiority which the platform
7naker has over his audience. II
vt happens to be his taste: and a
i'e's laughter, however kindly. and
ner little Joke at his expense. how
ever affectionate or sprightly. Is the
deadly enemy of this superiority.
Only equals may laugh at each
other.
Why Children Leave Home.
''It Is the sententiousness of the
male that makes children leave home
and that kills wives. Indeed. the
husband and father is rare who never
offends this way. for tho orator is
latent in almost every man, and
marriage and fatherhood is ap-
parently the acid which develops
In the negative of his character.
There Is nothing over which Il man
may not be sententious, just rs there
Is nothing over which a man can
not mako a speech.
I'VE women have many short
comings: our husbands surpass us IN
many ways. But let US do ourselves
justice in our natural state. We are
spontaneous. and as sex we have
not had, either at home or in pub
lie life, the itch for oratory. nor any
OF the faults Of the orator. and it is
to be hoped that as women partici-
pate in public life they will con-
tinuc TO bring to it their first-hand
viewpoint, as they have shown
tendency to do, and that. above all,
they will continue to gossip joyous
ly among themselves and that they
WILL as much as Is in their power,
keep the home free from the blight
or oratory."