The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-02-11

Learns TO Like tho n foolish eX-
Taste. pertinent that
may ovcrtugu
and swamp it They SLY that absence
makes the heart grow fonder," but it
is not always fonder of the one left
behind Brief separations may be
loves tonics. but long ones are often
loves narcotics.
When one member Of the home firm
voluntarily takes long solitaire vaca
ton and the other stays Mt home in
loneliness. Cupid. though blind. sees
trouble ahead With two who love
each other the temporary separation
may be the thin edge of the wedge Of
4 permanent growing apart
These unnecessary solo vacations
force each into new environment in
which the other has no part. They
lessen the sweetness Of mutual depend
ence They break the continuity OF
loving conference and constant conf
dence They make il easier for each
to face LIES problems alone instead of
hand III hand with the other They
add in many ways to the compleXity
of home life. often creating a restless.
vague sense of doubt Ii is not always
easy to piece again the broken thread;
into the Old fabric of absolute unity.
trust and dependence. Some note OF
discord creeps into the music of life
for them both. and neither may be
quite able to silence it.
The danger of these summer vaca
tons apart is not when they are taken
reluctantly and regretfully because of
the pressure of compelling conditions.
when business calls the husband away
on some necessary trip, when the wife
takes the little ones out for a visit to
the old folks. when either is i'll and is
forced TO 90 away and circumstances
forbid both going, when a sickly child
requires change of air, breath of pine
woods or the invigorating tonic of the
sea. The very ineyitab ility Of vaca
ton, accepted under protest, may not
lessen for an instant the constant heart
hunger of each for the other; it may
really intensity it.
But the regular exodus of the wife
because she has Il restless desire to
get away somewhere, because she has
friends who insist on her accompany
ing them or she fears the neighbors
will think she cannot afford to g
away or her selfish desire for persona
pleasure throws into the shadows al
thought Of the loneliness and Other
hardship it may entail on her husband
These are the forms of voluntary sep
aration for weeks and months that are
dangerous. Sometimes they even prove
Il short cut from matrimong to ali
mOny. OF the twenty-seven eXplaua-
tons by which she may finally secure
his consent twenty-five are merely
weak excuses, and the other two are
shaky reasons that would not even have
deceived herself for n moment in the
first year or two of their married life
These separations are always hard
est for the one who is left. He in the
city, still attending to his mOnOtonous
round of daily business and duties
goes home Mt night to a lonely house
eats where he can and walks through
empty rooms until they grow unbeara
bic in their grim isolation. If he real
~ cares deeply for her he picture.
her walking on the beach in her dain
ty new dress with the parasol t.
match. sitting on the wide veranda Of
a summer hotel in the evening in the
midst of merry group, laughing anC
jesting at trifeS, or. in imagination
sees her rowing across the silvereC
waters of a moonlit lake with a gay
party of friends.
There is a feeling of restless rebel
lion that now he forms no part of he
living. In his honest heart he may TT!
to make himself believe that he is glaC
she is having a good time and that h'
does not begrudge her single hour o.
happiness, sunshine and new joy tina
may come to her, but down deep il
his heart there is a note of inSiSten
protest that she can possibly be happ.
away from him when the separation
is of her choosing.
If she writes of the loneliness sht
cannot bear apart from him be invol
UNFAIRLY wonders why then does sh'
stay away week after week with NJ
word of return. why does she thu
condemn herself to the misery of tn,
continued absence. the awful days sh'
pictures? He may have pride of Low,
that keeps back his pen from urgn:
her return. He may feel that if he
heart does not make her cut her visi
short and come back he does not,cs
for his words to do so. re in,c |
He may study her Ietter6s not like
criticism, reading neSiing man from
words and phrhssbing here Il wepk
the references
Boston zlazzn