The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-29
DOROTHY DIX'S TALK
BY DOROTHY DIX,
The Worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer.
THE PHILANDERING HUSBAND.

get a great many pathetic letters
from women who tell me that their hus-
bands are paying attention to other
women, and who ask me what they shall
do about IT, l wish that there was
something | could say to comfort these
no panacea for hurt love and outraged
pride and dignity, nor Is there any
magic by which a wife can c%onjure back
Il husbands rowing fancy.
The only two courses open to a woman
under such conditions are either to get
a divorce or to possess her soul in pa"
thence and cultivate philosophy, and
there are difficulties and drawbacks in
the way of either procedure. Nor can
either one be guaranteed to ease the
pain In her heart and fill the emptiness
In her life.
OF course when a woman has been a
perfectly good wife to Il man, who has
adored him and borne him children. who
has sacrificed, saved and tOlled for him.
and who has had no aim nor aspiration
since her wedding day except just to
help him and make him happy and com
Portable, finds out that he Is false to
her, her first impulse is to rush to the
divorce court.
But, alas, divorce Is only a specific
for the surface Ills of matrimony, 1t
only cures In mild cases, such as in
compatibility of temper and unconge-
niality and similar trlfling troubles.
When n woman does not really love her
husband divorce will bring her happi-
ness, cut when she loves him with her
whole heart and soul divorce leaves her
manned and stricken for life. 1t Is a
remedy that IL worse than the disease.
Also n woman may be opposed to di-
yorce on conscientious grounds, Or she
may have enough practical sense to see
the wisdom Of making the best Of a bad
bargain and not throwing a good home
away after a lost husband.
For no matter how little hold a wom-
an may have upon her husbands affec-
tons she has n legal clutch on his
pocketbook as long as she remains his
wife, lie is bound to support her,
whereas he Is not compelled to pay ALI
mony unless he is a man with property
that she can attach.
Therefore II woman does well to take
counsel Of prudence before she rlds her
self Of n ~philanderlng husband. When
one cannot get tho first prize, one must
satisfy oneself as best she can with the
second prize, and certainly home, a set
tied position In society and pretty
clothes are consolation prizes not to DO
lightly thrown away, One does not com
pare them with n husbands love, loyalty
and tenderness, but they are better than
poverty and u hall bedroom and shabby
clothes, also without n husbands love,
and loyalty, and tenderness. For In
either case the husband Is gone,
AND all Of these arguments against di-
vorCing tho philandering husband &c
double when there are children, Almost
any kind Of n home is better for chill
dren than no home, Almost any kind OF
n father is better than 10 father. AS
long as a household Is kept together the
children have advantages of education,
and Of getting a start In the world that
very few mothers can give them single
handed, and 20 ! feel that n oma with
children should endure almost anything
rather than break W her home while
her children are small.