The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-17
"Rake" Said Frequently to Make
Good Husband.
Not Every One Who Has Sown He
Wild Oats Before Marriage Con-
tinues the Practice.

Although it was stated at the church
congress at Birmingham that athe re-
formed rake never was and never VIII
be good husband" there are folk who
hold an opposite opinion.
Elizabeth Ann does. She married q
reformed rake, and we were all aware
Of her dubious experiment. We have
also watched it with interest. But to
the outside world Elizabeth AIMS hus-
band appears to be all that he should
be.
Certainly he Is no longer q rake, al
though he was known as one before
marriage. But is he a good husbandl
have been asking Elizabeth Ann, q
London Answers writer states.
Now, Elizabeth Ann is a very COM
nonsense person. She doesn't, for In
stance, believe that every man must at
some time SOW his wild oats and that
II he doesn't sow them before mar
rage he will do so after. She married
her reformed rake because she loved
him and believed in him.
Maybe she'd still have married him,
had no reformation taken place-hav-
ing a woman's usual faith iu her
powers as reformer. But this by the
way.
Her theory today is that the man
who has tasted to the full OF worldly
pleasures and has turned from them,
has found out the hollow mockery OF
them. For him they have lost their
appeal. He is unlikely to 60 back to
the things which formerly drew him,
so long as he is happy
Elizabeth Ann has set herself the
task of keeping her man happy In Hfe's
simpler joys. In the ties of her, her
self, and their child, she places her
faith. And she does not believe that
faith will ever be shattered.
'Tim appreciates home life" she
told me. "He is getting more real
pleasure out Of the rose garden and
lily pond we are making than he ever
derived from one of his riotous eve
nings. The perspective of his mind
has altered. and he'll never 60 back to
his old wild ways"
Tim, as a reformed rake, makes q
good husband. Is he an exception?
When one probes into the reasons
why some men become rakes one finds
that real wickedness is not always the
driving power. There is good and evil
In every man, and the victory Of the
one or the other hinges ON many things.
Many a so-called rake is not a rake at
heart. He becomes so through en-
vironment and lack of. thought. And
1t is that sort of rake who, reformed,
can become a good husband. Your
thoroughly bad character does not re-
form.
Society is willing to recognize true
reformation in man, and has but q
short memory for his past sins. Women
marry reformed rakes every day.
But Elizabeth Ann made little con-
fession. There's one thing about Tim"
she said. "He never wants to 60 any
where or do anything such as the aver
age husband would expect to 60 and
do with his bride. He is bored by many
things that would thrill me. Having got
tired Of life's pleasures, they hold no
attraction for him now. So have to
content myself with home life, and
leave the giddy whirl alone. That is
the price must pay for having a hus-
band who was once rake"
And many women who marry re-
formed rakes have to face this con-
dition- But most of them fulfil II
willingly, finding 1t worth while.