The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-12-07
Copyright,
THE TYRANNY OF TOO TIGHT A
REIGN.

INTO hopeless SthFGS, uuluDly SuDutls- |
sive and spiIftless, or scheming rebels |
with a smile on their lips but hate in
their hearts as they dream their gold |
en- dreams of secret revolt and a bold 1
break for hberty.s There is a brand of !
bossism in married life. of petty ty-
ranny in the home that duplicates in
miniature this dilemma of results. 1t
saps the ambition, courage and vitality
of husbands and"wives, and transforms
them into dull, crushed, colorless be-
ings, or if they do not submit thus
meekly it trains them persistently in
smiling Hypocrisy, trickery, deceit, ~
ing and plotting to cheat the tyranny
they do not dare openly to resent.
Have you ever met the husband, of
the timid, suppressed type, who al
ways answers his wife's call with "yes,
my DEAR" "no, my DEAR" or ''just in a
moment, my dear" 1t is never the
sweet "dear" that drops gently into a
sentence like caress. His ''my dear"
with it's monotonous iteration of
monograph record seems a continuous
phrase of placating. 1t is not affec-
ton, it is just fear; it seems pleading
deprecatory gesture of the voice as if
trying to dodge a rebuke or a lecture
as one involuntarily wards off an at
tack with the appraised arm. You
somehow feel thatyou should take him
into a coy corner and soothe him,
end tell him not to be afraid, that you
Eill protect him.
When you are alone with him he
may talk easily, cleverly and we'll; the
stream of his conversation runs
smooth and free like a mountain brook
but it suddenly trickles into irrelevant
commonplaces when his wife enters
the room, the whole atmosphere seems
changed, and you vaguely wonder who
shut off the water supply. You do not
| like the surreptitious way he covers his
lighted cigar with his hat; it seems too
much like a child caught with it's hand
| in the sugar bowl. He can never tell
| you definitely whether he can go out
tomorrow night; he will let you know
later and you feel that he has already
| begun to plan how he can secure his
wtfe's countersign to his pass. Even
| when he is doing what is absolutely
| right and harmless he becomes wonder
ously fertile in lying excuses, those
conversational capsules to sweeten the
breath of suspicion. His ill-concealed
joy when his wife has to go out of
town for a day or two is not mere
confession; it is a condensed biog'
raphy.
Sometimes it is the husband, il
domineering assertion of authority
who plays the poor, petty role of do
nestle tyrant He dictates, he de
mands, he threatens, he forbids, he is
sues his orders as ultimatums in 9
manner that would be unwarranted
even were he a pirate captain haran'
guing his crew. He forgets that mar,
rage means partnership not pfoprie-
torship, freedom of both in the best
interests of both, not slavery OF either,
His assaults on her rights when he
crosses the dead line of intolerance
and despotically demands obedience
may not be received as submisSiyely
as uncOmplainingly and as finally, as
he in his blind conceit believes.
He may secure an outward sem
blance of submission but actually con
temptuous rebellion. Brought TO bay
her bitter protest of opposition may
make her dangerously ingenious in cut
whiting him. When in moment OF
pique at some act of her family he
dares to order her never to See then
or write them or hear from them, she
feels the cruel injustice of this cutting
of the ties of love and tenderness she
may resort to subterfuge, intrigue
evasion and systematic deception ant
defy him behind his back white SHE
seems sweetly and serenely resigned II
his presence. She may drift unknow
ingly into a course of action normally
repugnant as she surrenders to tide
of conditions of constant despottc in
justice. Tyranny needs a hundred
watch dogs-trustful love, none.
When she finds a quarantine or
dered against some of her dearest anC
best friends coming to the house, bel
sef-respect bushes at the plausible
lies she writes or speaks to prevent
their knowing the real reason. Wher
she fears to tell him of some misdeeC
of one of the children because of th'
cruel punishment his anger may pre-
scribe, he is slamming the door on hel
confidence and giving a bonus Of new
license to the little rebel in the nur
sery. When she gives false statistic:
as to the price of some simple articl.
she has bought, just to avoid "scene,
he is giving her unwise postgraduate
courses in duplicity which may late
prove costly. He is worse than wront
The is foolish.
He is paying a big price for hi
tyranny when the song dies away OF
her lips rs she hears his key click Il
the lock in the evening and she draw
long breath of relief when he leaves
home in the morning. Then she ma!
remember with sigh and little dim
ming of the eyes the sweet early day
of their married life when not satiSnet