Americus times-recorder., 1920-06-18
NOW WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
A LOVING WIFE'S PREDICAMEN7

THINK what as a good wife | was
unwilling to speak out. l, however,
tried to endure what l could not cure
and matters began to go along
smoothly Cnce more for short time
Just as l began to get used to this
state of eXistnece | received a much
severer shock of the same character
thought prayer meetings and blue
lodges distracted my husband enough
but when | again observed my hus-
band was too thoughtful | missed
him three mortal hours after supper
My fears were kindled in an instant,
my torture was too great as | real
lzed that another step was above be-
ing interposed between my husband
and his family joys He returned as
before and went through the same
precautionary evolutions in preparing
for bed Ny eyes had not once
closed and | inquired where on earth
had he been so long. He evaded an
answer at first but pressed the ques-
ton vigorously and at last he was
forced to own he had just joined the
my heart quivered at this news. How
now flow tears as the happy memory
of our lovely evening at home floats
through my mind. Now, sorrow Isl
seated within my heart. Unable to-
appreciate the plausibility of his re-
iterated arguments of benovolence
and widespread usefulness connect
ed with the order l surrendered my
self to the woeful conviction that the
charmed long winter nights that
caused our little cottage to smile and
look glad were now ended.
But this was not all in this instance
either.
Only last week | asked my husband
to go to the sale that was advertised
in your paper and buy the boys some
linsey-woolsey to make their slips
Again / was mortified with refusal
and requested to wait awhile as he
had been forced to spend ten dollars
to go through the Odd Fellows. My
husband has up to this time spent
forty dollars for the privilege of be-
ing benevolent and useful besides the
weekly contributions he gives to both
fraternities which profess the same
objects.
But this is not all. A few days
since he read great address about
America for Americans, and all
though there are scarcely any for
eigners in our city of protestants, he i
joined the P. o. S. of A. This was
the last straw and for the first time
let him have piece of my mind. |
| told him | could not see why a
man should want to join a half a
dozen orders all possessing the same
principles, just to learn benevolence
and be a member of the church too. |
This was the first time | ever tried !
such an experiment and | think my
argument stumped him for awhile
1t failed however, from permanent
wholesome effect upon him. Guess
my surprise when on yesterday |
asked him for a small sum to buy
Mary, our daughter, pair of Sun
day slippers, | was told he had just
sent in his last loose dollar with a pc
tition to join the Elks. His excuse
for this last project was that he wish
ed to encourage the RISING genera
ton.
Step by step have l seen the de-
cay of my husbands love for his for
mer domestic pleasures. l see him
now only at meal times and bed
times. To these he is still punctual,
thank God, but how long it will be
before these inventive neople will get
up other clubs, societies and cham
bers to spoil domestic joys, l am un-
able to say. My husband is not
politician, so he gets nothing from
that course. l have called on our
minister, the Rev. Carl Silas Moul-
text and dutifully laid my com
plants before him for counsel and
advice, He positively declined to !!
take any part, saying that my hus-
band was an exemplary Christian,
and insinuated that Twas the one to
pray for a contented and calm mind.
So every way l have tried to re-
form him has failed. Please, there
fore, publish this letter and let him
see just how he appears. It may do
him good, by so doing you will in
sure the lasting gratitude of dis
consolated wife. Yours truly.