Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-26

OF time at the race track and
playing cards. I accumulated a
lot of gambling debts and finally
found myself up to the ears in
debt. SO I quit. Since then I've
been paying on slowly. but I've
still got a long way to go.
Two years ago / got to know
ia widow through correspond
lence club. She lived in q city
Ia few hundred miles away. but
we arranged TO meet. We liked
each other and got married. /
told her my salary but 1 was en-
barrassed to tell her about the
debts.
Pretty soon she found out.
however, and now is after me
night and day-saying I mar
ried her for her money and that
I'm q liar and a cheat. She
even went and told my children
and they want to pay up for
me, but ! won't let them.
Now my wife keeps bounding
me to let the kids pay. but I
Just couldn't face them if did
that. I'm sorry I ever remar-
ried.
Mrs. O.B.-My husband doesn't
mention that. before I told his
children, he suggested I paw his
debts. He's too proud to let his
own children do it, but doesn't
mind my paying.
I left my lifetime home to
come and marry this man and
now ! find I married a gambler
ana a liar. I don't have much
money of my own, but it looks
as though he married me for the
little I have. was better OF
before.
THE COUNCILS VIEWS
o. BIS statement that his
gambling debts embarrassed"
him has the ring of truth in the
light of his whole story. His
conduct does not appear to be
that of a confirmed gambler
but OF a man who got into
trouble during a period of des-
peration. Mrs. o. B. should give
due consideration to these facts.
But o. B. made big mistake
by not telling his wife the truth
about the debts before they were
married. If he had braved out
his embarrassment at that time,
he would probably have found
her sympathetic and understand
ing.
1t is reasonable for her to
develop the suspicion that he
was after her money If he did
not tell the full truth about his
financial status. He doubled the
mistake and confirmed her sus-
picions by suggesting that she
pay the debts after the situation
was exposed.
On the other hand, Mrs. o. B.
made a big mistake by rushing
of in her anger to tell his chill
dren and by Immediately accus-
ing him Of being a gambler and
a cheat without giving some
consideration to his story. She
has hurt him as deeply as she
has been hurt.
One reason correspondence
club introductions are not con-
sidered a particularly good start
for marriage is that neither in
dividual can know much about
the background Of the other
his status in the community
his reputation among family and
friends. knowledge of these
factors establishes trust. There
are likely to be unexpected
quirks and corners in any per-
sons life, but when these things
are known from the start; they
don't give rise to suspicious and
/ determinations.
In this case, sincere apologies
and forgiveness are called for on
both sides and o. B. should pay
his own Mebts, though it may
take some time. These people
were lonely enough to seek one
another out through a desperate
channel and should now be will
ing TO make allowances. forgive
and forget.
/ Ccoryrisht. 1858, General Features corpl
Tomorrow: 2I-ysaE-old sih coatem-
plates third marriage.