The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-01-07
Miss Fairfax on
a Serious
Topic
BY Beatrice Fairfax
An Authority on Problems of Love
and Marriage

DOLLlNG stones w nat num-
~ bers Of them there are in
this worId-young men in love
with travel and change and ad-
venture, loathing the very name
''permanent! How charming they
ere as comrades. and, alas in
many cases, how irresponsible as
sweethearts. For it usually hap
pens sooner or later. that even a
rolling stone falls in love and
contemplates marriage. Then I'M
less Mr.. Rolling Stone mends his
ways and settles down to steady
work, responsibility and thrift,
there is likely to be trouble ahead.
we'll sing the refrain:
"Oh, let us be married.
Too long we have tarried,
But what shall VIC do for ring!"
Love is wonderful. But love.
alone, will not pay the rent or
even buy the wedding ring. OF
course, if one rolling stone falls
in love with another, and both
are willing to share the wander
ing life with its ups and downs,
adventure and hardships, that is
their own affair, their own feast
or famine. But as rule Mr..
Rolling Stone falls in love with a
nice, sensible girl. his opposite in
temperament who longs for home
life and successful marriage.
While rolling stone gathers no
moss, vet the polish it acquires
is most attractive. What is to
be done when as often happens,
practical girl falls in love with
one of these roVers. an adven-
turer, dreamer. who is most
loveabIe but not exactly depend
able as husband and head of a
family.
Take the case of Mary, for in
stance.
Il am going with young fellow
who, / know. cares for me and |
care for him. He is of a fine
family. educated and intelligent.
But it seems he cannot get job
that suits him.
eff he does get something. he
doesn't stick long enough to find
out whether it is for him. He says
he is willing to work at anything,
but that luck is against him. But
he says I am the girl for him and
he is willing to marry me.
Now l really don't know what
to do. I'd hate to give him up, be.
cause he is fine type of young
man. Then again I figure how
could marry a fellow who is so
poor that he can just live on what
he is earning"
Mary, you are wise in thinking
things over very carefully before
marrying your rolling stone. But,
of course, there are rolling stones
and rolling stones.
Is your friend idle and irresp0n.
aible? Is he a loafer? If so. watch
out. He may COndescend to marry
you and permit YOU to support
him the rest of your life.
But there's another angle to tn"
case. A certain girl ] know sized
up her rolling stone very carefully
and decided he loved her and would
make good with the help of her
svmpat thy and love. provided she
gave him time and was patient,
He had been unsettled and restless
when he left college and went 20
work. He threw up Jobs with
clocklike regularity. He did MS
share OF complaining about hard
luck. But he was determined to
get on. He was a good fighter
against luck.
He went on from job to job, but
each was A little better than the
last, or at least gave more promise
for the future. even though ne
sometimes threw up one job pe-
fore the better one was in SlSht.
Today he has brilliant position
ia steadincss itself. and has an
enYiable standing in the c0mm'lh'
itv. His wife may we'll r"nGralu'
late herself because she believed in
him and waited for him.
There is such thing as n"hl"
discomfort. The able creative mimi
will NOT limit itself Some young
men need more time than others
to find themselves and build UP
their work. To sacrifice
great ambition for the sake ot
Gnick ready money which might
make earlier marriage possible
would be untrue to the finest i'm
nu1se and ambition of such man.
The following conversation took
Mace some years ago at a Western
university. / have changed only
the names:
ANNE. aren't you going to the
sorority danCe?'
"No. I'm not" replied the second
college girl.
"But Why" insisted her friend.
"Everything will fall flat without
you" 49,.
with a frank. friendly smile. 'he-
cause Bill can't afford to buy a
dress suit to wear, and Id rather
stav away than go with anyone
else but, Bill
Anne was one Of the most popu-
lar girls on the campus-p pretty,
on only child Of rich parents. Bill.
her friend. was working his way
through college. He would gradu-
ate in June, then hoped to work
bia wav around the world, Just
sizing things up, before he settled
down to work as an engineer.
Anne had already sized Bill up
and decided her rolling-stone was
worth encouraging and waiting for
So they remained good pals
through the intervening years un'
I'll finally Bill took position AS
mining engineer, and they were
married and began to wander con-
tentedly about the world together.
Today Bill is one of the nations
most honored, successful men.
Long engagements are not wise;
n II better to wait as pal, ex'