Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1918-01-03
Little Problems of
Married Life
By
WILLIAM GEORGE JORDAN

justification for marriage, and that
is-love; all the other motives are
not reasons,they are only excuses.
Those who start in married life with
a good capital of love feel that
they have an absolute guarantee of
harmony and happiness that will en-
dure through all their years, but if
they depend solely on love they may
find they are exhausted their cap
ital instead of living on the interest
and may soon become bankrupt of
love. But love alone is too fine, del
icate and emotional to stand the con-
slant hard usage of daily life.
Like gold, it is better and stronger
when allowed; love should be made
sturdy and lasting, reinforced, sire
ngthened-intensified in its power
10 resist wear. 1t is only when al
lowed or blended, with comradeshir
and trust that it is at it best.
The truest sweetest and happiest
marriages are those of two who just
chums. With this quality of condit-
ion and trust that keeps their at.
nosphere pure, clear, bracing and
and wholesome, all sources Of dis
cord are neutralized, all joys arc
doubled by sharing, all sorrows
ightened by mutual sympathy, COM
'ort and inspiration, and all prob
ems solved in sweet sacredness OF
conference, with the united wisbom
If both ever at the command of cit
Ter, needing no outside referee.
Success in married life does not
cequire heroic spectacular qualities
possible only to few chosen ones
the elect of the earth; it needs only
loving comardeship and confidence:
little self control, courage, kind
ness and just daily patience along
the way. 1t does not require wealth
for often the poorest are the hap
piest and most contented. 1t does
not demand intellectual powers ano
fine education, for two aged lovers
hardly able to read, may sit together
in the sunshine by cottage door at
eventide, finding all their world in
each others eyes, telling their beads
Of sweep memories of past joys and
sorrows outlived, and as her thin
worn hand rests lovingly on his
here seems benediction of calm
peace and concentrated love thai
makes mere intellectual wisdom
seem worthless by contrast.
There are some who tell us the
qualities necessary in husband anc
wife. The long inventory sounds
ike an unabridged dictionary of all
he virtues and one can imagine the
saints blushing with shame at the
sudden realization of how far short
hey are of this perfection. II
seems like test examination for {;
ront seat in paradise and few of
is would get more than nine per.
cent rating on an honest marking.
Let us be thankful that two who
are just human and with all theii
aults, foibles and failings can have
happiness if they determine to have
it and pay the price in thought and
effort. 1t is not gamble; it is GER
:ainty if both determine to do their
pest and work in union and unity.
It does not mean life uncrowded
)y trial, sorrow or suffering but 9
nome filled with love and peace, {
'eSt and refuge where no real dis
cord can long throw darkening sha-
lows.
Conlradeship is one of the strong
,st lies in married life. Comrade-
ship is friendship in negligee suit ];
It is free, near, trustful, comfortable.
,amiliar and intimate. 1t has a ba-
sic respect that makes formality Out
Of place, and pretenSe and pose seem
treason; the two are their natural
selves, spontaneous and unrestrain-
I'd except by that respect for each
others individuality that makes
each careful not to wound or offend
the other.
Comradeship between husband
and and wife is the finest type OF
friendship, for pulsing through il
isN the contrast current of love, ten
lerness, sympathy, nearness, dear
less and closer communion of inter
ests, that ever vistalizes, intensifies
and freshens. Comradeship gives to
each finer, truer understanding if
the other that comes, not from the
mere observation Of acts and moods,
but from glimpses into the depths of
each others thought, the revealings
of standards and ideals, the uncon-
scious confession of hopes, fears
and longings and restless ambitions
that are hidden forces struggling to-
ward expression like the root of a
plant seeking to penetrate the soil
and reach the light. These come
np1x in ooc1r commemorative, x,,I, Nv,