The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-02-13
MOTHER June and December mar

MOTHER June and December mar.
~ riage! June. rich in youth, beauty.
4 = vigor, vivacity, ambition hope. all
that gives to youth its "joie de vivre.'
Joins hands for life with December. old
and cold, but with coolies of cash. No use
asking why she does it.
There are a number of reasons why
young woman of twenty-five might marry
a man nearly thrice her age but there Is
only one generally accepted reason why
she does. And for the one reason that
she does, there are a dozen reasons why
she shouldn't
There are sentimental reasons which
might explain away, practical reasons
which could be overcome and physiological
reasons which cannot be explained away
nor overcome. Love, compatibility of
temperament, similar tastes. mutual inter.
ests, may explain away the inevitable
imputa'ion of sordid mercenary motives.
But everyone who has ever loved, and
that includes about every normal, healthy
man and woman, knows that he or she can
never love a very much older person as
sweetheart. There is a natural Difference
to age which is an effectual bar to seuti-
mental love and to that intimate familiar
ity which exists between lovers Of the same
age.
Questioning a number of women who
had married men much older than them
selves, found that in almost every case
the affection was based upon pity or SYM
pathy, gratitude or obligation, Difference
or intellectual attraction, or prospective
advantages. In not single instance was
there the love that is based upon mutual,
spiritual, mental and physical attraction
and longing.
Woman wants affection, the kiss from
warm lips, the embrace from strong arms
the words of love from a manly voice. To
these she can respond with her own love
and affection But the cold thin, blood
less lips of the septuagenarian that are
raised to hers TO receive her kisses, create
in her only disgust the weak embrace
from wasted arms that droop exhausted
after the slightest effort, arouse perhaps
pity but more likely scorn; the squeaky
voice that tries to express what young
lover would say, brings only hidden smile
Of rtlicule.
There can be no love where there is
disgust, scorn or ridicule. 1t is readily
conceivable that a girl could love an old
man as she would love her father, her
guardian or a friend who has been kind to
her; but for marital happiness and success
there must be the mutual love that is ex-
pressed in the kiss the embrace and the
craving for each others society and COM
partnership. As this is impossible where
there is a great disparity in ages, the mar
rage between June and December is fore
doomed to failure.
Compatibility of temperament, similar
tastes and mutual interests may hold such
an Unmatched couple together, but COM
patibility of temperament In couple, OF
which one is rs and the other 25, is rare
and unnatural The man who has passed
,ho biblical three score and ten is usually
ngctistical. boastful, exaggerating his pre-
v,ous achievements and present abilities,
eeking admiration and praise and very
s''sceptihle TO fattery
7, does not require any exceptional clev.
er1ess on the part of the woman to humor
him, fatter him. make him believe that
h is still heart breaker, and that she Is
lis particular victim. She makes oonces-
Ions to his vanity, agrees with him In
everything and makes his tastes and inter
ests her own.
She may do this out of pure sympathy
and pity. but cruelty suspicious world
vii SEQ therein only the insincerity and
wlles OF q designing woman.
This much is certain. The temperament,
traits and peculiarities OF The aged person