The Indianapolis times., 1928-11-20
Desires End
of Marriage
Minus LOUe
BY MARTHA LEE

You remember that old saying
that you can't fool all of the people
all of the time. You can some of
the people some of the time and
even all of the people some of the
time, but not all of them all the
time, and least Of all yourself. And
that's no witticism. Or, if it is,
just scrape off the top and you will
find solid truth underneath.
Now, sometimes when you take
that axiom on face value, and live
up to it as best you know how, and
decide that for the good of your
own soul you will henceforth not
try to fool any of the people any
of the time, and things still go
badly, where are you?
You know there are a great
many persons who believe a thing
is a sin only that is found out;
that anything else that can be kept
from becoming known is not a sin.
1t isn't exactly the right thing, but
then it isn't a sin because one has
not lost an iota of ones prestige
in the neighborhood by that one
little misstep. And how is one to
judge the seriousness of a misstep
if not by the loss of prestige it
costs?
And so, as a direct or indirect
result, we have come to judge
everyone by ourselves, or if you
don't want to take it too personally,
by the accepted methods of going
about things, namely, that it is bet
ter to lie out of things than to be,
even for a short moment, an object
of lessened prestige.
Each group seems to have its
own little set ways. For instance
in some groups, a great number
of them, in fact, a divorce is moth
ing but a little discontinue for a
short time and an unnecessary ex-
pense. To others it is the last
stigma of shame and disgrace,
something for which one would put
up with almost anything to keep
out of the family
What I'm trying to drive at is
that such person confronted with
a problem must look at it in the
face himself, decide what is best for
him to do, seek advice that may be
unbiased enough to give him a
clear viewpoint. and then go ahead
and accomplish that thing which
he thinks will bring him the most
happiness and peace and help him
most to save his soul.
I have this letter from a woman
who has such a problem to face:
I have been married for fifteen years
I am not from wealthy family, nor is
my husband. but we both are proud of our
ancestry. Both of our families have been
staid. respectable. conventional, and highly
respected in our community for genera
tions.
Ever since our first year of marriage
have been unhappy with my husband
Since that time have realized it was
a sort of pre-arranged marriage. because
our two families thought highly of one
another. am sure my husband has been
just as unhappy, only the difference has
been that he has sought other pleasures
in ife and frankly admits it.
We have two children a boy and girl.
Now the point is this: I feel Ike a Grim
inal staying on here as his wife, making
myself and him unhappy, when I knew
it would be much better for both of us and
even the children if We were to separate
What Go you think is best? To continue
this way. cheating both of us from happi-
ness or to brave the wrath of our families
and get divorce2
INCIDENTAL WIFE.
I never advocate the breaking up
of a home, especially when there
are children concerned. 1t is
doubtless a loveIess match, but fif-
teen years is long time to take
to find it out.