The Topeka state journal., 1922-08-24
Dorothy DIX Tails
Is Marriage a FaiIure?-2
BY DOROTHY DIN
Wesad's 1K1shese Paid wSnann Wrasa9.


There are no scales delicate enough
to weigh human joy and sorrow, but
II one may Judge by the fact that the
unmarried are nearly always jollier
and more>cheerful than the married,
that they look younger for their age
and show less of the wear and tear of
life, then one may hazard the conclu-
sion that old maids and old bachelors
are, in the aggregate, happier than
their married sisters and brothers.
But whatever else matrimony may
do to people, it makes them better
men and women, for marriage is the
great character builder. 1t is the
great enlightener. 1t is the great dis
ciplinarian.
No two people can live together in
without learning to think of someone
besides themselves. without being
obliged to make sacrifices of which
they would have believed themselves
incapable. The very necessities of
daily life force a perpetual suppress
sion of the individual ego.
The man who has spent his money
on his own self indulgence must spend
it when he is married on supporting
his family. The. selfish girl who has
had no thought beyond adorning her
own beauty, must forget her looks and
toll to make a comfortable home for
her husband and children.
When selfishness meets selfishness.
as IL SO often does in marriage, and
uncontrolled tempers clash, there is a
battle royal. but it leaves both of the
combatants chastened as they never
would have been outside of nhatri-
mony. For no other human being
dares say to us the things that our
husbands and wives say. That is why.
when we have been f1ayed alive with
a merciless lash of our shortcomings,
we say we have been told home truths.
Marriage is also the beginning of
wisdom. 1t is a postgraduate course
in life, and the honeymoon will teach
any man or woman more about the
peculiarities of human nature than a
ten years course in psychology in
any university will. It's only the mar
ried who know how bad are the best,
and how good are the worst of us.
and how lovable are the faulty, and
how hard to endure are the model
husbands and wives
1t is only married man who knows
that the woman who screams with
fear at a mouse, will walk up and look
death in the eye without a. tremor,
and that love can make a fraiI little
woman get up from her silken couch
of ease and take in washing to, sup
port a sick husband without q whim-
per at fate. And it is only married
women who know why a woman will
some times mourn. a husband who
was a drunken, ne'er-do-well thru
long years Of widowhood, while the
wife of a. man who was a leading citi-
zen and a paragon of the virtues, has
to pull down her veil to hide the be-
lief in her face at his funeral -
Marriage teaches us diplomacy, for
we must acquire the nimble art of
walking on eggs if we are to avoid
treading upon the delicate sensibilities
of the partners of our bosoms. 1t
teaches us to bear and forbear, and
gives US the strength to endure, and
fight the good fight.
So marriage is a success in lifting
us to higher levels, and if, as a gem
eral thing, it is failure in promoting
our happiness here below, it adds
large Kohinoors to our heavenly
crowns.
don't weak ken.