El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-18
IN nnROTHY DIX.

%HE main reason why marriage
is so often a failure and there
are so many disgruntIed hus-
bands and wives is because marriage
Is the only institution in the world
OF which we demand absolute perfec-
ton.
In everything else i'm life we strike
a good average. and are satisfied II
We get results that even approximate
our aspirations But in marriage we
demand the realization of our impos-
sible ideal with other people we are
charmed and delighted If they give us
any one Of the qualities we like.
But we expect our husbands ana
wives 10 be Admirable Crichtons, and
n they are not we become dissatis-
fled and disillusioned, and fly 20 Reno,
OF else go about with the suffering
expression Of an carly Christian
YET nowhere else do we exhibit this
lack of reason. In business we expect
TO have good years and bad years; We
expect to charge off accounts to profit
and loss: we expect to have TO deal
with difficult situations; we expect TO
have to exercise patience and for
bearance, and make the best Of many
a trying situation.
II is only domestic life that we ex-
pect TO prove one grand sweet song.
flcwery pathway without a thorn
among its blooms, an Eden into which
TO serpent ever craWls.
Accounts Must he balanced.
OF course no one ever finds any
such Elysium as this, and because we
do not we cry out that marriage is
failure II does not occur 10 us to
balance our accounts as we would in
business. and TO say that If man
must toll hard TO support family and
a woman TO make it comfortable, there
H.mnnT a.
that IL sometimes home ties chafe,
they are also the ties that are ten
derest and sweetest in the world; that
II we often fret under the tyranny OF
those who love US there IS no lone
illness and desolation Of soul like
knowing that no human being cares
when we come or go. OF what we do.
Really a Success.
Measured by every standard OF
business, matrimOny is a glorious sue
cess. It is only a failure because we
demand perfection Of IL, and want the
sweet without the bitter, the love
without the responsibility the nome
without the trouble of the upkeep.
Precisely the same thing may be
said Of our disenchautment about our
husbands and wives. When man
goes into business partnership with
another man. he Is perfectly SATISFIED
~ his partner is a good salesman, OF
office man. OF financier, or factory
manager, or furnishes the money
He doesn't expect ms partner 10
carry a side line OF eXtraneOus accom-
phshments. TO dance like Vernon Cas-
lie or to have the social aplomb OF
John Drew in a drawing room. Neither
does be deny his partner the right 10
have temperament and nerves. and
political opinions, and his own taste
I'M dress.
Mans Wrong Idea.
But wheR a man marries he con
siders himself III used If his wife isn't
a compendium Of every charm and
virtue.
He doesn't say to himself 81 mar
ried Mary because she was sweet. and
amiable. and domestic. She is still ali
OF that and she worships me into the
bargain. Ny home is perfectly kept.
7 sit down 10 a dinner fit for an cpl
cure. Owing to her thrift and man
agement ] am saving money, and she'd
as soon think Of criticiZiug the Al
mighty as finding fault with anything
that I do.
ION the other hand. my dear. good
Mary bOres me stiff She never reads
anything She doesn't understand half
] say to her nor any of the things In
which ] am really interested. But 1
have got nothing else perfect i'm the
'-orld Whr- rh~uld c-0oet % p~rfoot