Arizona republican., 1921-12-02
A HUSBAND TO MARCIA
Ru CAPOTYN REECHER

When Marcia talked OF her new
idea, woman fast coming into her
own" etc, she used the expression
new women" and John would an
swer la Chesterton:
New womeni Oh, l don't believe
there are any," Then would add:
, 'And none that won't marry of the
right man, or the man they think is
right, comes along"
But mostly he ignored these sub
jects and just let Marcia talk on,
have it her own way. Marcia wasn't
the sort one could argue with. Not
with satisfaction
There is a saying that love makes
everything easy. 1t is a mistake. 1t
often makes things hard. 1t was MAX
ing life hard for John Aldrich. If one
doesn't love too deeply nothing that
affects the one we love disturbs us
unduly But when one loves deeply,
to deny the loved one anything is dis
tressing.
John Aldrich loved Marcia, conse-
quently he was distressed when he
had to deny her, as he often did. He
was adamant only when is came to
debt, and even in that he found him
self often worsted. Money will not
stretch, although some do claim for 1t
a certain elastisity. have found that
it is more liable to shrinkage.
1t had been the law of opposites of
which John Aldrich had been the
blind victim when he married Marcia
Vane. A law which I believe-like
many another-should be repealed,
voted off the statute books of life.
John, in consequence of this law,
had been kept a very busy man in
deed 1t seemed at times a thankless,
almost Impossible task, this being a
husband to Marcia, but John Aldrich
conscientiously and stubborly APP
piled himself to it. 1t seemed to grow
more thankless and impossible as
time passed, but John only tried the
harder to please and appease.
John often found himself thinking
with surprise of the adaptability of
some men he knew-rich men. He,
like many others, had supposed that
wealth made them soft, rather help
less. Now he learned that both men
and women of the favored class We're
more sturdy, less easily swayed by
the middle class to which he and
Marcia undoubtedly belonged.
When he expressed such ideas to
Marcia she only sneered.
Its easy to go without when you
can have things il you want them
she said. Then in answer to some
thing he said about the dressing of
the rich and the simplicity with which
they CARRIED their children she added:
cit is the same with clothes. They
know they can have them, so they
don't care. And they know they can
buy their children all the elaborate
clothes they want to, so they affect
simplicity
Also when John would inadvertent-
ly praise some wealthy woman for her
generosity or her work among those
less favored Marcia would laugh at
him and say:
Il don't see anything remarkable in
a woman who has millions giving a
few thousands eway or in giving her
time, either She has maids to wait
upon her all the time. masseuses tc
help her keep yong and beautiful, q
wonderful home servants, cars
everything. If l had only hundredtf
| part of what such women have
should be satisfied
You can see that it was almost i'm.
possible to argue with Marcia.
| One evening when John reached
! home Marcia said:
| Tonight, YOU remember we are Il
go to Mrs. CaIthorp's musicale
John started to protest, then de.
sisted. He wasn't particularly font
| of music, especially nowadays wheI
| he was always tired. It would bor'
| him insufferably.
Couldn't you go without me, Mar
| cia? You know care little FOL
musical affairs
/ mo, indeed! It's for charity ant
Isevery one 1 know will be there. tt
| little enough you do for me, beside
you'll enjoy 1t once you get there
You had an excuse last week whel