Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-18
AIphabet Strike
PATIENCE-By Dorothy Dix


Patience is the most over-rated virtue in
the world. :,
Heaven knows what spineless mollusk
first evolved the idea that there was some
thing fine, and noble in sitting down sup1ne-
(y and letting the waves WASH over you, IN.
stead of fighting your way out or the flood!
Some idiot, however, did PROFOUND the no.
ton that it was sweet and beautiful to cu'
tiyate a meek spirit Of endurance, and TO
humbly accept whatever sort OF rotten CARDS
fate handed you out in place OF raising a
ruction, and demanding new shullle' anu
a fresh DEAL
Especially has patience been considered
nice, lady-like virtue. From the beginning OF
time women have been adjured to suffer ana
be strong. The proper gesture Tor a woman
who lived up to the traditions OF her sex,
was TO fold her hands, and bear without pro-
test whatever misfortunes befell nef. NOT
one of us but who has shed barrels OF tears
over some poor, patient, drunkaros WHe'
or some poor, patient invalid, or some poor,
patient lady who was once rlcn, put WHO ~
now glad of our cast-off clothes
We have idealized, and glorlfled patience,
and it deserves all the tributes we can pay
it when it means stick-at1veness, anu ing
grit and grim courage to hold on, ana WORK
and work and work, at the thlhs we "'
to do until we accomplish It, In Woro,
when patience means impatience with the
evil conditions by which we are surrounded,
It is sublime. But when patience merely
means endurance and the lack of resistance
II is contemptibfe. It is cloak for coward
ice II ia the camouflage of laziness. 1t 10
an albi for the gutter and the Stacker. IL
ia the banner under which those poor weak
lings camp who find it easier to run up inc
white flag than to fight the battle OIL Ire.
For there is no merit in suffering need
1essly What can be cured, need not be en-
dured. And there are mighty Few tnlngs IN
life that can't be cured II we nave nerVe
enough to apply the remedy.
Take sickness to begin with, and espe-
cially turn your eyes, metofor1caAy, upon the
thousands and thousands OF Invalid women.
OF course, there are many IN the NUMBER "no
are hopelessly ill, and who must bear tnelr
sufferings with what fortitude they can sum-
mon .t.. ~.
But at least ninety per cent OF this num-,
her could become well and strong II Lney
would give up being resigned, and struggle
on, and on, until they struggled BACK 10
health. Some of them could De cureu Ny
surgical operation, but they are TOO mucn
afraid of the knife to submit to It, some
have not the money for the expert meolcaI
attention they need, and they would rather
be proud, and patient, and sick, than to go
into the charity ward Of hospital.
Some are sick because they will not eat
the right food. Some because they haven,t
the courage to fight their nerves. and simply
lack the will power to be we'll. Doctors Will
tell YOU that it is practically Impossible 10
save the life of sick person who doesn
wish to live. You may be sure that the
individual who desires and is determined 10
be we'll and strong is very seldom sick, ana
then not for long. Most of the patient in
valids are, people who have discovered that
invaldism is a soft graft.
Lots of women are forever complaining,
and telling you that they try to endure their
poverty patiently. They say they pray for
grace to endure their lot meekly, but they
can't help repining because they can't have
pretty clothes and amusements and good
food and decent surroundings.
why should any able-bodied woman, with
ordinary intelligence, endure poverty pa
tiently? Why doesn't she roll up her sleeves
and 20 to work, and earn the money she
wants? 1t is either becaugHss she is too
proud to work, or too lazy to work. There
isn't single woman in this country who
isn't either an idiot or an invalid, who can't
support herself comfortably if she is willing
to work, and there is no sense in wasting
sympathy on those who would rather sigh
for money than earn it.
The patient wife is another pathetic fig
ure upon whom we spend lot Of unneces-
sary pity, because a great majority OF
women could cure q bad matrimonial situa-
ton instead of enduring it if they had the
nerves In fact, it is because men know that
women going to be patient that they
take so many liberties with their marriage
vows, and it is because women know that
men are going to register Impotence In
an emphatic manner with any divergence
from the straight road on the wife's part,
that makes women watch their steps.
Millions of wives live in terror of their
husbands tempers, and are browbeaten and
pulled, and cursed about, worse than any
slave Millions of other women have tight
wad husbands who never give them a penny
of their own, and who rage like madmen
over paying the household bills
No woman has to patiently submit to
these indignities, and there is no virtue in
enduring such treatment when it could be
changed by the use of a little backbone on
her part Practically every wife writes her
own price tag, and her husband treats her
as she demands to be treated The man
who takes advantage Of mis- position as head
of the house to tyrannize over his wife is
invariably coward, and would show his yell
low streak the minute she asserted her in
dependence.
l knew one woman who cured a high
tempered husband by beating him to it,
and whenever She saw a storm coming she
flew into such rage as scared. him out of
his wits, and made him afraid to open his
mouth. I knew another woman who got
fair division of the family money by get
ting herself a job in an office. There are
many ways of curing a bad husband, but
patience isn't one of them.
Patience BAH 1t is the virtue OF
towards. Don't try it except as a last re-
sort.