The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-08-01
Why | Have
Never Married
By JAMES BRAINARD


1t seemed to me that she was so deli
cate, so sensitive, so confiding, that I
did not know whether to liken her to q
porcelain vase or little flower. I felt
the full responsibility of the care of
one who, like sweet Alice In the song,
trembled with fear at my frown. I
had always been a mans man and
used to striking without mercy at men
who opposed me. Suppose l should
forget myself after marriage and
treat my wife in the same way. 1t
would be like pouring boiling water on
sensitive plant. l should blight her
forever.
One afternoon called on Ethel with
half dozen roses-I almost always
brought her some gift-and finding the
front door standing wide open, W It in
without knocking. l heard voice. up
stairs and, not wishing to interru the
conversation, sat down on q sofa j the
hail. A woman was speaking. l had
not heard the voice before. She seem
ed to me to be an elderly person.
Are you going to be one Of those
meek creatures who knuckle down to
their husbands in every particular or
are you going to stand up for your
rights like n true wOmanT
II am going to knuckle down."
Very well; if you prefer slavery be
slave"
This was said with mingled con-
tempt and Indignation.
"Who said | was to be a Slave?"
Have you not just admitted it?"
l recognized EtheIs voice as one Of
the speakers and, not caring to be an
eaveSdropper, was about to arise to 60
where l would hear no more when the
sentence was uttered. II am going to
knuckle down." / hesitated. What
harm could there be in listening to the
dear girl tell how she would defer to
my slightest wish? l remained where
l was.
mo-" said Ethel, replying to the last
question. Il have admitted no such
thing. ! am going to wind Ralph
around my finger"
Have you begun his training?"
I'm sense yes. If a woman wishes
to dominate a man she 0ust first tie
him to her. How many marriages
would occur if the man knew that the
woman he was to marry was feeding
him, after which she would proceed to
assume her proper place as head of the
house?"
"Oh. that's your game, is it? didn't
know you had so much stuff in you.
When will you show that you intend
to be head of the house"
"Not at once, / assure you, but at our
first disagreement after marriage I'll
insist on having my own way"
"You will wear him out, suppose"
"Not then. I'll look hurt, pout, and
, maybe I'll shed tear or two"
Il see. How long will you keep that
-S?"
-As long as it is the easiest way"
"And them"
"I'll go about looking as sour as vine
gar There is nothing so terrible to a
man as his wife's sulks."
"Where did you learn all this?"
Haven't / father and a mother?
Haven't l often been in league with
mother to have our way with father
Suppose we wish him to take us on a
trip. What do we do? A long while
before we desire to start we make the
proposition. 1t is refused. We keep
up our appeals, or, rather, arguments,
till we break him down."
My hair stood on end. l tried to go
away, but a desire to hear more held
me. There was some dialogue on Ordi-
nary subjects and then more that in
terested me.
81 suppose" said the elder voice,
that you will become one of Ralph's
family-that is, you will be hand and
glove with them"
Not much. | shall do what all wO-
men do when they marry, at least all
who know their INTEREST," shall pro
ceed to separate him from them. A
wife has the advantage of the right of
invitation. shall invite my own fam.
lily, not his"
Suppose he rebels at thatT'
II shall remind him that the good