South Bend news-times., 1921-01-14
Am I a successful wife?

II ne were free 10 espouse a wife
again, and had no feeling Of obliga-
tiOn toward me. would he. with all
the knowledge of me he has aC-
quired. choose me again from all
the world to walk by his side till
death do us part?"
These are the questions which are
beating on my brain today. These
are the queries. the answers to
which ] mean 10 make It my busi-
ness 20 find.
1t is n time Of matrimonial stock
taking with me. this dreary day Of
earliest spring. when a cold driZzle
outside. effectually banishing the
sunshine, has found its reflection in
my own spirits. I mean 10 cast up
accounts with myself and find out
II 7 have been cheating Dicky. my
husband. IN this matrimonial game.
If perchance he has been defraui-
ing me, or If we. after ALL have
struck fair balance.
Did ! say matrimonial game?
What a misnomer! II ever there
was serious. solemn business in
the worlds whirl OF affairs IL Is the
business OF marriage. And II ever
CNe was a job requiring all the
ta). ability and resourcefulness
which woman possesses Il Is this
job known 10 womankind Of hold
ing a husband"
wonder If 1 have made good up
on my particular Job.
I remember. years before I met
Dicky. hearing Mrs. Stewart. the
dear old woman with whom my
mother and I boarded. quote causti-
cally:
ANY fool can marry a man, but
II takes n wise woman TO keep one"
I have not thought of the words
in years. but today they have been
ringing insistently in my ears. With
them as a yard stick I have been
measuring not only my own mari
tai career. but those OF the people
I have known intimately since that
time.
Lillian and Harry Underwood OF
course. Lilllan's name comes first 70
my mind In any mental survey Of
my friends. for / hold her above all
women. reverence her Judgment
and her high ideals And vet.
measured by the little yard stick.
Lillian has failed, for two men have
called her wife and then deserted
her
But--was it possible for any
woman to have kept the love Of
either man? More potent question
still. was the love of either worth
so seconds Of any true woman's ef-
forts. Honesty comIels a negative
answer TO both questions
Both Dicky and I. her nearest
friends. know how bravely and truly
she tried 10 do the right thing I'm the
narrowing situations which con-
fronted her. ! felt instinctively that
If in that long past time when
Robert Savarin. rising artist. had
set the feet Of Lillian Gale. eager
acOlyte, in the path she so ardent
ly desired. he had also C aimed the
love he had unconsciouslr won. ne
would have been spared the years
of mental darkness that later came
to him because OF another woman,
and Lillian would have escaped the
bitter unhappiness that has been
her portion.
She would have kept his love
and reverence always am sure Of
rises within me unswervingIy 10
" hopeless task OF overcoming her
QuiXouc scruples against marrying
him.
Jack Bickett and Katherine? Ny
brother cousin. and the woman
friend whom I count next TO Lillian
in my scale of friends I dismiss
them quickly, for Katherine has
made good" If eyGr n woman has
and the bitterness which was their
portion, and whih II was my good
fortune 10 dispel. was all Of Jacks
making. That they are happy now
in their western home ! know by
the long letters Katherine sends
me. and which reflect her moods
in every line.
DIR. Braithwaite and Harriet. my
husbands stately sister. their names
always associated with JacN and
Katherine. because of that foolish.
Jealous obsessiOn of Jacks which 90
nearly caused the shipwreck of two
families. Surely, Harriet Braith-
waite has worked harder 10 he a
true helpmeet 10 her husband than
any woman / have ever known. and
yet | feel that she has not made
good. for she has sacrificed moth
erhood 70 her husbands career. and
now as they approach old age thcre
is no son nor daughter TO make life
worth its living.
I cannot repress a shudder Of
horror as 7 think Of the tragedy
which Miliy Stockbridge made OF
her married life because she had
no conception Of any duty or re-
sTonsibility as a wife. and INDUCED
her own Jealous. crazed Obsessions
until they finally killed her and
nearly DESTROYED her husband. That
the flower Of happiness which IS un-
folding for Kenneth StOckbridge and
Alice HOlcombe was only made pos
sible IN its blooming by that terri
Bile death. is the only gleam Of light
in all this s0>did tragedy.
II is but a few months now until
the end OF the school year. and the
year OF perfunctory respect for
Milly's memory. and then the two
who have loved each other hope
lesSly for so many years will be
united. I have no fear OF Alice De
ing unable to hold her husband.
And vet I suspect that she will find
the placid waters of marriage will
hide snags as annoying II not as
dangerous as those OF the turbu-
lent torrents through which her
bark has been steered.
Jim and Katie? An irrepressible
smile comes To me at the thought Of
my little maid with her tempestu-
Gus moods. and Jim's smiling. stolld
acceptance Of them. Katie has held
her husbands love. will continue 10
hold it. Is that question. as well
as all others of the spirit. less q
problem when life Is somewhat
primitive when education and