Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-11-29
Little Problems
&cMarried Life
BY
WILLIAMS GEORGE JORDAN
HOLDING MoNoToNY At BAY.


tCopyrshi
HOLDING MoNoToMY At BAY.
Monotony Is the malaria of matri-
ni0ny. Ii poisons the home attnO-
sphere. gradually eyhausts the life-giv.
ing oxygen of love and coinra,ieship
and leaves one sizzling in an air Of dis
content. protest. and rebellion. II
means dull. deadly depression of spir-
its, n general tired feeling regarding
life. weakened hope and will, loss Of
appetite for the triilcs of everyday
living, a l~i>tlcss. languid indifference,
II ervou i%rri,abllity difficult TO con
troll. 1t takes all the brightness and
NividneSS from the color scheme of life
and thought and leaves them a cold,
vitality of mental. moral and physical
resistance to trivial cares and worries
that assume %portentous proportions like
figures blurred into bigness by n fog,
1t needs the fresh tonic ozone OF
change. the vitalizing sunlight of Il new
interest, the windows Of life opened
wide FOR freer air and Il broader out.
look.
Monotony in married life is IN In.
sidious evil. 1t is hard TO cure hut
easy 10 prevent. Husband and wife
should realize that II rests solely with
them: the conditions are absolutely
within their control when acting In
unity aud harmony; either can dc
much, neither can do all. They can
create an atmosphere Of comradcship
cheerfulncss, and courage that deties
monotony. 1t takes so little to hold
1t at hay, in the beginning; 1t takes
so much TO XII it, in the end. 1t is
easier to dodge a few snowtlakes thar
the Wild fury Of the storm at its worst
The secret of monotony Is overall
sorption of the head or the hand,
where the heart Is not in It.. 1t Is the
o~verfeeding Of II side Of life ut Tho
expense of the other, ii is the pros
trating effect Of unbrokcn samcnes>
in IN environment.
The wife in her devotion TO her home
may place Il false estimate on trltles
She may become house bound; nevel
crossing the threshold except when alb
solutely necessary. she may unconsci
nusly convert her home into a prison
and Sublnerge the wife in the house
keeper. The unonding repetition o
the same duties, this continuous per
sion. begins to chafe and fret ant
weary her; II Gems like the rcgula
tramp of a vast army on the march
continually passing but never passed
The deadly routine begins to wear o
her nerves. like the Irritating. insist
cnt tick of q clock In a sick room
The narrow horizon Of her living dc
presses her spirits; She grows fault
finding, dissatisfied, helpless and hope
less. The salt Of life has lost Its So
vour.
Nllc ijuSl it~Ntlt WV ltilNl'i Stil
way, drop the whole outfit occasional
~, forget she Is Il machine and re
member she is Il human being, an
get out for Il change Of thought an
experience. Let her turn her steps t
the green pastures Of rest and restC
ration, take n walk or a drive, hea
Il little music or see n play. make
visit or entertain n caller. go shol
ping, that does not require money, FL
1t Is only buying that costs. read som
book even though 1t Is only zone c
the best sellers'-anything that wi
freshcn the mind, quicken the bloot
gladden. the heart, or put n new edc
on life.
Some people do take duty a bit 10
seriously. II Is delightful occasional
to turn your back deliberately and In
politely on n duty for Il while, to Civ
saintship a little vacation. for the dut
does welcome you So when you retur
and 1t does not seem half so hnr'
Much Of IL loyalty to duty Is simpl
disloyalty to higher duties and whe
we are dulled by monot0ny. we do n,
d~ifferentiate clearly between theI
There are honest, earnest, good wOme
who, like Martha Of old, are 'culnbere
with much serving" They let Il
house eclipse the home, creature cor
fort overshadow heart comfort ths
make themselves unfit companions Il
themselves, much less for their hu
bands. They should cultivate Il
courage let go: they should rcali,
that monOtony Is w a bargain. ne
er worth what they pay for II.
There are other wives who have ,
cares nor responsibility. no tax en- tin
or energy. no money Worries; burder
Of housekeeping nre reduced to n mil
imum by the help Of efficient servants
the children are away nj school. Thes
wives, too, often face monotony. II
not the monotony Of work. but Of lei
iirc.
IN the absorption Of making none
for the support Of home aud family
husband may lose the true perspe
tive Of life. lie may become undu
anxious for more money; he may ket