Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-06-10
Starting Sunday

O~dA OAAAe .
Nature performs eternally, but
either because Nature grows tired
or because she is not omnipotent,
the miracle goes no further Then
must come the cool affection that
cements the true marriage. There
is nothing miraculous about this.
1t is as commonplace as three
meals a day. / am almost sure,
dear, from what you have told
me, that during the last few hours
that you and Hal were, together,
that you both had fallen in love
all over again, l am glad you can
have that sweet memory"
81 sometimes think, mother,
that | fell in love with Hal for the
first time, then" l interrupted.
"Of course you did, dear. Poets
have sung songs and books have
been written to explain the fact
that man or woman in love in
SloLO IAdl hC vi OhS h1O 1CfOI bCOh
in love before and will never be
again. And yet have almost
come to the conclusion that this
ability to fall in love with your
own husband or your own wife
over and over again, is one of the
things that makes marriage bear
able. The woman who is able by
some trick of variety or person
ality to fascinate her husband in
to believing her an absolutely new
love each time is the one who is
going to be the most successful
wife. But between these times,
my dear, on a mountain top, there
must be another love. A love Of
sobrfety and contentment, love
understanding instead of thrill
which will thrive on habit and
and passion. The woman who
finds this out early is the one
who is going to come into her
own.
you hardly lived long enough
with Hal, my dear, to learn all
this, and l am afraid that you
are going to have a good many
episodes in the years to come,
which will need much careful
thought to steer you out of them
without hurting yourself or any
one else.
MANY people talk about the
provocative temptation that a
young widow exercises, but they
say nothing about the anomalous
positions she occupies in society.
No man treats her with the same
reverence that he. does a young
girl. He pursues her with greater
ardor, for he is sure in the belief
that she will understand. This is
the reason that I am preaching
you this little sermon because
want you to be able to take care of
yourself. People are much more
censorious of a widow than they
are of a young girl. should mot
have said this to you. my dear, If
you had not told me of Larry's
outburst. You are woman.
Alicia, who will always attract
men. You will probably have
many chances to marry again.
Yet l am not sure that you would
make as good a wife for any man
as Barbara. Poor Barbara will al
ways give the man she loves much
more encouragement than you,
and even then he may not think
that he wants her for his wife"
II shall never marry again" l
said decisively. 81 have my boy,
and I am sure that he can make
up to me the sum and substance
OF my happiness.
l looked up and saw Duane
coming across the tennis court,
He was a splendid looking chap.
did not wonder that Barbara
was fond OF him
"Aren't Bah and Duane en-
gagged yet, mother?" I asked.
"No, my dear. At least she has
not told me that they are. l
sometimes feel sorry for poor Bah.
She is desperately in love with
Duane. and am sure that be
would be very happy with her, but
Duane Is one of those men who
hates to give up his freedom and
Bah Is not clever enough to make
him think that he might be free
though married to her"
II seemed rather strange to me
that mother should have ampli-
fled almost the same things about
love and marriage that Bah had
told me just before. In fact,
mothers whole talk with me was
very different than anything she
had ever said to me before my
marriage. but in thinking it over
decided that probably Bah had
opened up the subject with moth
er. for my sister wasn't reticent
in the slightest about her love af-
fairs. To her. getting married was
the one great business OF woman
kind. and I knew she would be