The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-09-26

and problems, mean mothers-in-law,
money troubles, faithless husbands,
extravagant and disconnected wives.
But there are a lot of us on the
other side of the picture; men and
women who through the trials and
changes of many married years
have only come the more sincerely
and truly to love and need each
other"
That's the letter. It did my heart
good. The writer did not give me
his address, but I hope his Dee will
see this column and know that she
is appreciated.
How Would You Rate?
How close to her measure would
you come, if your husband wrote
letter describing you? What char
acteristics would you select if you
were choosing those of the perfect
wife? What 10 would come first?
Well, perhaps first of all woman
should be gentle. She should have
a sense of humor. She should be
capable, good manager of home,
nursery and budget. She should be
neat about herself and her belong
ings. She should be prompt. AZ
fectionate. Economical. Patient.
Imaginative. Cheerful.
This is a big order. Most women
never stop even to consider these
qualities, much less to ask them
selves if they happen to possess
them. Many women resent the idea
that they could change; they are as
they are, with no need for change.
"You know me-" they say COM
placently, when anyone tries to put
get it," Or, "Jin's mother spoiled
him for IS years. Well, he doesn't
get any more of THAT! I've got
good hot temper of my own, and
it's about time Jim Baker found it
out"
Other women tell you prettily that
they are always late for things, and
it does make poor Bob so madl Or
they're very poor cooks; Mama said
she never wanted her girls to slave
in any mans kitchen. Or they never
can keep their books Strengthened
out; don't know the least thing about
money. And in the last analysis, as
I've mentioned in this column be-
fore, money trouble turns out to be
of them all the gravest cause of
marital unhappiness and unsuccess.
Wives in Name Only.
Some wives save all the days an
noyances and worries until dinner
time, and then regale the weary
man of the family upon them. 9th
ers quarrel and complain constantly
with and of the children. Many are
extravagant and vain, home and hus-
band serving them only as a back
ground for constant trips to the
beauty parlor and the frock shops.
Then there is always the wife who
puts somebody else ahead of the
man she married; whose heart is
really with her family, or whose
whole devotion goes to her child.
And the wife who has numerous love
affairs. Nothing really wrong, of
course, but such fun. And so HARM
less, if only Bob wouldn't be so ridic-
ulously jealous!
All these wives are considered
very nice women. Nobody expects
perfection, and we all have our
faults, we say leniently.
Which is perfectly true. And yet
it is as refreshing as a summer
breeze to hear sometimes of wom-
an who by chance and circumstance
and her own fine nature has reached
so high a point of human develop
ment that the man who has lived
with her for II years still finds her
perfect.
1t is not of many women that a
husband can say what Jay writes as
a conclusion to his letter:
ST love to be with her, to watch
her, whether with her children or
busy with her sewing or her book.
The house is darkened place when
she is not in it; there is no sound
in the world so welcome to me at
the end of the day as the sound of
her voice"