Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-14
MODEL HUSBANDS AND WIVES
AT A DISCOUNT
BY DOROTHY DIX
The Worlds Highest Paid Woman
Writer

TT appears that the ideal husband
and wife, who are models of all the
virtues, are only desirable as long
as they are intangible ideals, and
that when they materialize in real life,
they make no hit with those who have
the luck to be married TO them.
In witness whereof consider these
two news items reported the other
day in the press:
A l7.year-old Ohio wife who eloped
from her husband excused herself by
saying that the reason she eft home
was because her husband vas too
good and kind to her.
HE is too nice" she told the judge
of the domestic relations court. Il
know he is a model husband. He has
no bad habits and is always at home
at night. He treats me beautifully
and only smiles and kisses me when
i say mean things to him, ad It got
ON nv nerves so that couldn't stand
II any longer. If he had abused or
bullied me would have liked him pct.
ter"
This is a woman's point Of view on
the model husband. The masculine
opinion of a model wife is equally
lacking in enthusiasm. A New Jersey
man who was arrested as a WIFE
deserter claimed that the reason that
he fled from his hearthstone was be-
cause his wife just loved him to
death.
"My wife was too affectionate," he
said. "She was so considerate OF
me that she was uncomfortable. My
ego requires strife to create perfect
happiness" II.
And there you are, with the cynical
reflection that however much virtue
may be its own reward In the other
relations of life, in the domestic re-
lations it doesn't pull down any re-
ward at all.
Also, it leaves you rejecting upon
the difficulty of doing ones duty IN
the holy estate, for apparently mar
ital happiness is just as much endan-
gered by goodness as badness. One rs
Just as liable to be cherished fer cne's
weaknesses and faults as for ones
strength and nobility, and the part
ner of ones bosom may possibly &C.
casionally find black eye or a
tongue flashing more interesting than
an unbroken succession of kisses and
soft words.
What is one 10 do, then, to keep
matrimony perpetually interesting TO
the party of the other part? Must
the man be bit of brute? The
woman a bit Of q shrew? OF course
all the moralists teach the husband
that he should be tender, and oatielt,
AMI long suffering towards his wife,
and the woman that she must ne q
pin feathered domestic angel, and
that If they follow these rules they
cannot fail to inspire the deepest az
lection and appreciation and graft
tnde of those to whom they are
united.
Unfortunately, common observation
does not bear out this cheerful the
DRY. When we look about among our
acouaintances we see that by some
mysterious juggling Of fate mos OF
the model wives and husbands seeln
to be cashing in no dividends on their
virtues.
We see a woman who is lazy, and
selfish and eXtraVaganL mdNIieu 70
man who slaves himself to death to
crafty her every within, but instead
Of doing flip flops Of gratitude per-
petually before him, she yawns In his
face and complains because he Is so
absorbed in business that ne doesn't
have time to read the six best sellers
or keep up with the latest dancing
stem and do the society act,
And we see women who are rdar.
ried to. worthless loafers, to drunh'
ards and FOUNDERS who flout them
and disgrace them and neglect them,
and who cling with a constancy Of
devotion that nothing can shake 10
these worthless bulks Of humanity.
And the strangest part OF it all is
that the man who has got the wife