The daily Alaskan., 1918-04-11
Copyright
HOLDING MoNoToNY AT BAY.

] Monotony is the malaria of matri-
 mony. It poiSons the home atmo- i sphere, gradually eXhauStS the life-giv- | ing oxygen of love and cOmradeship
 and leaves one stilling in an air of dis , content, protest, and rebellion. lr
 means dull, deadly depression of spir-
 its, a general tired feeling regarding
 life, weakened hope and will, loss of
 appetite for the trifleS of everyday
 living, a listleSS. lnnguid indifference,
 nervous irrilability difficult to con
 trol. It takes all the brightness and vividneSS from the color scheme of life | and thought and leaves them a cold, | dismal gray. This mOnutOny sapS the
 vitality of mental, moral and physical resistance to trivial cares and worries l that assume portentuuS proportions like l figures blurred into bigneSs by fog. | Ii needs the fresh tonic ozone Ot
 change, the vitaliZing sunlight of new
 interest. the windows of life opened
 wide for freer air and q broader out.
 look.
 Monotony in married life is an in-
 sidiouS evil. It is hard to cure but
 easy to prevent. Husband and wife should realize that it rests solely with
 them; the conditions are absolutely within their control when acting in
 unity and harmony; either can do much, neither can do all. They can
 create an atmosphere of comradeship, i Cheerfulness, and courage that dchcs | monotouy It takes S0 little to hold ! 1t at bay, in the beginning: 1t takes
 SO much to kill it, in the end. It is | easier to dodge few SnOwtiakes than | the wild fury of the storm at its worst. The secret of monotony Is over-ab l sorntlon of the head or the hands where the heart k not in it. It is the ovcrfeeding of one side of life at the expense of the other; il is the pros
 tro,iug effect of unbrolicn sumeness | in an cnyirOnmrGL
 The wife in her devotion to her home may place u false estimate on triiLcS. l She may bccO:lr house bound; never 1 crossing the threshold except when ah- ] solutply necessary. she may uHconSci- ouSly convert her homo in,o a prison and SuhmrrCr the wife in the house. keeper. The intending repetition of
 the same duties, this continuous per
 formance without change or intermiS- sion. begins to chafr and fret and weary her; it seems like the regular | tramp of vast army ou the march continually passing but never passed. | The deadly routine begins t0 wear on 1 her nerves. like 'G" irritating. insist ent tick of a rlorI, in a sick room. l The narrow horizon of her living de- presses her spirits; she grows fault | finding. dissatisfied helpless and hope less. The salt of life has lost its sa-
 vour
 She must lessen the tension some way, drop th, Whri' outfit occasional 1 ly. forget she is a machine and re-
 member she k human being, and
 get out for a charge of thought and experience. L"t her turn her steps to
 the green pastures of rest and reSJo- 1 ration. take a walk or a drive hear | a little music or see a play, make a | visit or entertain a caller, go shop
 ping. that does not require money, for it is only buying that costs, read some
 book even though ir k only "one of rhe best SellerS"-anyIhing that will
 freshen the mind, quicken the blood | gladden. the heart or put a new edge on life.
 Some people do take duty q bit too
 seriously. It is delightful occasionally
 to turn your back deliberately and i'm politely on a duty for d while, to give saintship little vacation. for the duty
 does welcome you so when you return and 1t does not seem half SO hard 1 Much of our loyalty to duty is simply disloyalty to higher duties ard when we are dullcd by monOtOny We do not differentiate clearly between them. l There are honest. earnest good women who. like Martha of old. are "cumbarcd with much serving" They let the house eclipse the home. creature con-
 fort overShadow heart comfort; they make themselves unfit companions for
 themselves much less for their huS- bands. They should cultivate the . courage let go: tnry should realize . that monotony is never h:rg@in, hey CT worth what they pay for it.
 There are other wives who have no | cares nor responsibility. no tax Cn time |