Omaha daily bee., 1916-05-30
Why Single Girls
Fail Where The
Wid0lUS Win
BY MADGE ARTHUR

n was Tony Weller who on one
occasion gave The solemn advice 10
his son, the irrepressible sam Of
"Pickwick" fame, "Samivel, my boy,
beysr Of vidders." But it IS evident,
Judging from The number Of widows
who get married every year, that the
average man is inclined TO pay little
heed 10 old Tony's warning This
Is, perhaps, because widows have i'm
proved in character and disposition
somewhat since the Pickwickian days,
OF maybe thciG wiles and destinations
have become stronger and more ire
sistlble.
Whatever the reason. the fact re-
mains that widows frequently win
husbands where spinsters fail, and,
according 10 Official returns, there is
a growing disposition on the part Of
thessterner sex 10 share their homes
and fortunes with ladies who have al
ready had some experience Of married
life Probably the fact that a widows
previous knowledge Of men and mat
rimony secures for her an advantage
over her single sisters has a great
deal 10 do with this rather surpris.
ing state Of affairs. Much married
happiness is often frittered away be-
fore the average husband and wife
get 10 understand the ysgaries Of op.
posite sexes And this as the cele.
bfated Mark Twain has observed is
lust where the widow comes in She
has served her apprenticeship and has
parted with her illusions, SO that the
man she eondcscends 10 marry has q
fair start
Undoubtedly men are attracted 10
ward women who understand them
and no one knows this better than
the widow herself What widow, for
instance, ever objects 10 smoking3
She knows a man loves his cigar Or
a pipe Of tobacco Therefore she
makes a study Of a man IN order 10
gain a knowledge Of bis likes and dis.
likes and never ncglccts an opportu.
nifty Of catering 10 his whims. a
widow has the happy knack Of being
more anxious 10 please than 10 be
pleased, and as every man has 4 weak
ness Tor little aduation she inyar-
iably succeeds in her object.
She IS wise enough, too, not 10 ar.
que with the man whom she would
Ike 70 be something more than
friend, or II she does, she contriyes
TO convey ~ fascinating manner
the impression that she Is convinced
he IS right, She is aware that argu
ments are the crypt Of friendship and
the everlasting doom Of love. She
knows that when q man leaves Ills
office Or workshop he is desirous Of
leaving there all worries and perplexi.
ties, with the result that She docs
not try TO force her opinions on him
II is often said that widows angle.
or run after men, but in FIVE cases
Out oi Six the accusation is an unjust
one, The real truth being that their
popularity causes men 10 really run
alter them instead OF vice versa. Asa
rule a widow is SO sympathetic and
gracious 10 all her male friends
seeming 10 50 thoroughly understand
their fancies that they instinctively
seek her society.
She may, or may not, care 10 enter
The bonds Of wedlock once more. but
having grown accustomed 10 a nus
bands comradeship, she enjoys the
society OF other men She enters
INTO their pleasures as lar al she pos.
sibly can and endesyors al ali times
TO make them feel as comfortable
and at home" in her presence as they
would IN that Of men companions
What is more, a widow invariably
shows herself 10 be OF an economical !
turn OF mind, the result OF her for.
ner marriage experience. She knows /
me value OF money, that the most
elastic dollar only contains 100 cents
ana no one can make it go further
than she /
Consequently, il anything were 1
needed 70 convince man Of a |
widows fitness 10 be his wife it would |
be her practical and sensible views
On economy
" ia' however as a practical woman /
mat a widow appeals most forcibly /
g a man He feels convinced thar /
by marrying her he will be sure 10 /
have obtained a wife who can man. /
age home or course, 10 some men /
The thought that another man had
once held hrsi place IN the wife's al
tetilons would be great objection
20 marriage with a widow But men .
hold The reputation OF beng proverb.
ally selfish aud when II comes 10
choosing between q woman who has
only love and good looks 10 recon
mend her and one pGssrssed oi rfac 4
teal common sense. together with /
. sound knowledge 81 hew 10 look
after = home and their creature com.
forts. lhef incline towards The latter