The Washington times., 1926-08-07
Part-Time Homes
Are Not Best
For Children
By Beatrice Fairfax

u are changing! Anu Win
changing times, many conven.
lions of marriage are being slow.
~ but surely modified.
Weekend marriages, for in-
ntance-wlio would have dreamed
Of them so years ago. They
were as unlleard of as marriage
vacations and Paris divorces! Yet
today the world and his wife are
giving serious consideration to
these innovations.
We've all heard about the fam
Gus novelist who with her l1us-
band has made distinct success
Of their -breakfasts-a-week"
marriage.
She and her husband have sep
arate establishments. The novel;
ist devotes her undivided time
and attention to her writing from
Monday to Saturday. The bal
ance of the week belongs to her
husband. In this way she has
harmoniously, adjusted her ca
reer and her marriage.
It is said the great Havelock
Ellis and his writer wife live in
separate Establishments. under a
similar arrangement. which re-
suits In their mutual happiness.
Can the weekend marriage be
considered a practical arrange
ment, likely to make the average
modern marriage more success
ful? If SO. it is not to be ignored.
for marital infelicity is rightly
rated one of the great misfor-
tunes Of modern life.
Modern young people are al
ways ready TO consider q new
viewpoint with an open mind,
and IL it seems practical and de-
sirable. to try the experiment. en-.
Enthusiastically. So it is not sur
prising that Grace and Tom,
when they suddenly realized with
q thrill OF rapture that they were
in love and wished to marry, de-
Cided on a weekend marriage.
From the first, their marriage
was unconventional. They were
wed at the county clerks office.
BY way of a honeymoon they took
a ride on the top OF the bus in
the refreshingly cool summer
twilight
Both Tom and Grace went on
with their office work. Grace
took a tiny bungalow at the sea-
shore and COMMITTED. Tom spent
week-ends with her. the rest of
his time in town. where he re-
tanned his small. furnished room.
Both agreed to feel perfectly
free to accept outside friendships.
Neither was to condescend to jeal.
ousy.
Grace was first to become dis
satisfied. She didn't want outside
friendships because she was in
love. And she did want her hus-
bands companionship.
Before the summer ended, Tom
began missing weekend at the
bungalow now and then.
Might work at the office,
dear" he would explain. But
Grace suspected night clubs, dane
ing and >pretty girls.
Was there another woman? she
asked herself.
Finally, when Tom stayed away
another weekend because of work
ing overtime" Grace looked up
an old admirer, and motored with
him to a gay roadthouse 10 dance.
Did Tom here of this? Probably
he did. At all events. he obtained
leave Of absence from his office
and vanished, leaving a brief note,
Our marriage is failure. I'm
going away to think things over"
It was a month before Tom re-
turned to the bungalow, another
month before his wife would see
him. Then she asked for divorce.
Its no divorce We need" in
sisted Tom. 1--WE acted like a
cad, but you are the only woman
for me and l know you care for
me. What We need is a good, old.
fashioned home together and good,
old-fashioned marriage.
Without putting it in so many
words, I've always dreamed Of
marriage as little cottage home
and love.making and babies and
a little wife smiling welcome to
me at the end of the days work"
This summer Grace and Tom
are living together in the little
bungalow which they are paying
for on the installment plan. 1t
has developed into the sweetest
little cottage home you can i'm
agine.
Tom spends most of his week.
ends wedding the garden, trim
ming the lawn and tinkering
over a tiny garage he is building.
Some way. the more effort and
self-sacrifice he and Grace put
into making a success of their
home and marriage the more
worth while they find home, mar
riage and each other. Even their
dream Of a baby to make homo
complete is soon to be realized.
Ease, convenience and ire.
sponsibility are not, after all,
what make life really happy.
Only love. with all it implies of
devotion. self-sacrifice and re-
nunciation. brings content and
peace.
Unselfish love is the one great
passion that builds up and gives
life. And until the love between
q man and woman does create
new life-the tiny spark of life
that is to carry on all their
hopes and joys and dreams-can
married love be called complete?
A baby needs both its father
and mother. So when babies ar.
rive a weekend marriage usually
proves hopelessly inadequate.
Showers of Flowers, in the
loveIiest pastel shades are EN-.