The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-01-14

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WIDOWS AND LIFE

h4ND ~
WELL" said Donna, there
are compensations in having q
tragedy happen to ones white
hair, tho l rather marvel at my
self for being able to appreciate
them. / probably will lose some
of the attentions of men who
have been hanging around show
ering on me attentions that are
often odious."
but you like men, Donna" /
demonstrated, half laughing, for
| could not imagine the lady fair
very happy for long unless some
man was paying court to her.
"Of course, l like men, Mar
gie," she answered. 81 like them
very much, but it is the kind Of
court they pay to me that l OBJ +
ject to. Margie, let me tell YOU
something. You ought to know
this-eevry woman should know
this-every woman should know
besides loss of her husband that
makes a widows life unhappy"
l expect, little book, that my
face must have expressed my sur
prise, for she said, do you know
that men--all men-treat a
widow very differently from the
way they treat any other wom-
am"
II suppose this is So" I an
swered. II know a man has a
different code for his treatment
Of his mother, his sister, his
sweetheart, his wife, his daugh-
ter and the other woman in whom
he is more or less Interested; con-
sequently, can see how a widow
comes in for a different line of
conduct from him."
Every man thinks a widow
fair game said Donna. "He
argues that having had the SUI
preme joy of having a man con-
tinually with her she is lost with
out the care and attention that
were hers. If she has any pre-
tentions to good looks she need
not worry about the attentions, and
If she has money she can also
get by. as | heard a man say
the other day.
II will not try to deceive you,
Margie, there is a certain lone.
illness about the state of widow
hood that is almost unbearable. /
believe this is true even If one
had not cared as much for her hus-
band as I did for Will. There
are times, my dear Margie, when
you feel that you would just about
marry anyone for the sake of
knowing that you belonged to
someone.
/ surprised and hurt Donna by
laughing at her, little book, and
then l fastened to explain, 81
wish, dear Donna, that l could
give some reason for that silly
and unaccountable feeling that a
woman has-the feeling that she
must have some man to belong to.
You and l, dear, don't really want
to belong to anyone but ourselves,
and yet I remember the night be-
fore l was married I rapturously
exclaimed to myself. After to-
night l shall belong
Il honestly expected, too, that
when / felt that l really did be-
long l would be perfectly happy
and then when l did belong l Inn
mediately found out that / did not
want to belong at ALL"
Yes, I know, Margie. also
felt about the same way when I
was married to Will, but no SOON
er was he gone than the mere fact
of belonging to him seemed the
sweetest thing I had to remem-
Der.
"And Margie, I suspect this is
a primitive feeling, one that
every man recognizes, for almost
every man | know has given me
to understand that l might belong
to him with or without legal
status in the natter
Great Caesars ghost, Donna"
i exclaimed in horror. "You
don't mean to tell me that any
man has had the temerity to offer
you anything but honorable lover"
Lots of them, lots of them, my
dear"
How you must hate Them" /
said