Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-11-22
Little Problems
6cMarriedLif
BY
WILLIAMS GEORGE JORDAN
(OspyhShp
THE Ess-TIoE OF LOVE.


Cospyhshp
THE EBD-TIoE OF LOVE.
The saddest thing In married life
h the drifting apart Of those who have
lived and loved for years In the sun.
shine OF each others presence. It IL
just . heart tragedy 10 the life Of two.
The greatest trials Of life are not those
which come to u from the world out.
side the home. but those from the
world within. With the Inspiring pres
sure Of the hand We love held tight
in our own. the battle of life can be
borne bravely. but when the refuge
pf love and mutual respect and esteem
10 swept away. the very bulwarks Of
the home seem gone.
Occasional discOrds, misunderstood.
inss and little clouds of unhappiness
may not be serious. The sun of recon
Citation may scatter them. and In the
balmy atmosphere that follows they
may be forgotten. But It IL different
when love itself grows cold and re-
spect for each other. which Is % able
an understudy to love. goes IN q long
vacation. Then inharmonies intensity
as the days 60 by; antagonism on the
basic questions Of life grows nor bit.
ter; grim, hopeless silence takes the
place Of speech. or the atmosphere be-
COMES vitlated by hot words Of recrim-
ination and contempt. There Is some
times an indignant Outburst Of anger
at white heat that is not so awful as
1t seems. 1t may be the fierce fame
Of protest from the heart that shows
the fire Of love is still burning: but
constant, cold dead sarcasm and bit.
terness speak only of embers.
This condition Is not a matrimonial
duet !; 1t is a matrimonial duel. When
either husband " wife speaks words
meant to sting, phrases seemingly In
nocent to others hearing them, but
which are deity loaded to annoy or
madden as they relentlessly find their
way through the vulnerable point In
the arlnor, 1t Is time for those two
TO declare q truce and to hold a speedy
peace conference or there will not be
enough love left to hold an inquest
over. They may W grow to hate
each others ways, moods, acts, and
turns Of speech. The voice once loved
may now sound shrill and hard; the
step On the stair which was sweet MI.
sic may seem a jarring discord, and
the ripping laughter may strike only
a vibrating note Of vague rebellion.
This surely shows Cupid Is getting
ready for a postmortem and a dead
happiness will soon be buried.
Sometimes the growing separation
is on one side only, and one still loves
with the old intensity and the old
heart hunger. As absence Is always
harder for the one left behind, so this
twilight Of love Is most painful to the
n whose love Is still constant. 1t Is
the dead nerve that carries no pain.
The finer nature suffers most In life,
rs variations In temperature that may
disturb the sensitive soul of q violin
are powerless to affect brass cymbals,
There may be a conscious effort on the
part of the one who loves to disbelieve
in the growing superintendent to cred
1t it, not to realize 1t, nor to accept II
for a moment as q possibility. But
sometimes a word, a look. a sentence
or an act makes further self-illusion
folly. as a lightning flash may reveal
to a traveller an abyss at his feet.
The smile that was the light Of our
life no longer cheers us: the caresses
that told Of love unstlnted are with
held; the tenderness that seemed Us
sure us sunrise or sunset has turned
10 doubt, and the n who still loves
may battle ,hopelessly when all life
around him Gems to move In a fog,
At such times despite every wisdom
Of heart and mind, M can say
the right word or do the right thing,
Heart strings Of sentiment, that once
vibrated ut the slightest touch and
brought out in an instant a flood Of
music from the finest memories Of the
soul, are now mute. No explanations
no pleas, no barring Of ones very heart,
no illumination Of the subtlest wind.
ings Of thought and emotion car van
quish that vague something that sep
arateS.
We may stand broken hearted by q
wall of separation made up of gossip
fear, doubt, suspicion, injustice, and
misunderstanding, with that most help
less Of all despairs when we e love
that was our whole life, and still II
all that makes life worth living, swept
away as one would watch from q dis
lance a boat carrying a loved one
swept by the rapids over an engulfine
cataract. This Is the time when mem
cries of past Joy rise like ghosts and
bring only pangs Of pain, when loves
dead roses leave US only the thorns.
Love rarely dies a sudden death
It Is usually ailing a long time befors
its decease. Little ills that could read,
lily be cured In their early stages ore
permitted to run into more serious con
ditions; complications set In and love
with its vitality exhausted through
long suffering, finally dies. Lovei
neglected colds often develop Into con
sumption. Prompt treatment with
little unselnsh care, tender watchful
ness and cheerful, patient nursing maj
restore love 70 perfect health.
The great things that separate twt
who have loved are usually only triaea