A DAILY MESSAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1928, Page 1

A DAILY MESSAGE

IS THE HUSBAND AN INSPIRATION, OR ... ? Ruth and Rona were friends; their lives ran on fairly parallel iines. They went to the same school, married about the same time, and married men in about the same position—hut not the same kind of men. Ruth’s husband is a clerk in a lawyer’s office; Rona’s is a clerk in a wool broker’s. Socially there is little to elmose between them ; but personally they are as unlike as starlight and sunlight. They represent the North and Smith Poles—in husbands.

Ruth’s husband is a genuine helpmate; Ilona’s is a swaggering domestic swashbuckler, a bounce, and a bully. Ruth’s husband regards marriage as a partnership, and Ruth as a partner; Rona’s regards marriage as a union of two with one head, one voice, one will —and they are his.

Ruth’s husband regards her as an individual with a right to sell-expres-sion ; Roin’s regards her as a, cipher, with no self to express. Ruth’s husband seeks her point of view, and respects it; Rona’s demands that she shall seek and respect his point of view only, and always. Ruth's husband comes home sober and sensible; Rona’s comes home inebriated and irritated.

Ruth’s husband lends a hand when the children are tired and peevish ; Rona’s heals, bullies, and bawls -at them.

Ruth’s husband sympathizes with tho drudgery, monotony, ami loneliness o! her domestic life; Kona’s says: “Ami women have tin hick of it ; not a joh,\ thing to do all day long ’’—and lie believes it.

Ruth’s husband realizes that, with home, children, cooking, mending, and the eternal .struggle to make ends meet, her cares are already heavy enough, and he helps to make them lighter; Rona’s increases her cares a thousand-fold by relating and magnifying,his business anxieties, both ic.il and imaginary. R,nth’s husband is a help!ill, hopelul. happy fellow ; Rona’s is’ a wrangling, jangling, nagging fellow. Ruth’s husband is peacclul and patient, thoughtful, and tranquil; and brings concord to his home every evening; Rona’s is restless and impatient, "mhtless and troublous, and brings discord whenever he comes home. Ruth’s husband has a lot to do with Ruth’s happiness and . outlook. Her life with him has been a stretch ol calm and peaceful years; Rona’s has a l„t to do with Rona’s unhappiness and outlook. Her life with Ipm has been one long tempestuous squall. Peaceful years and squally years d not yield the same results in character, temper, health, or happiness. Ruth and Rona arc proofs of this. Ruth is a healthful, happy, peaceful, reposeful, good-tempered woman, and over so• much better-looking than she used to he. Everybody appreciates Ruth. , Rona is a nervy, unhappy, restless. distracted, and bad-tempered woman and not nearly so good-looking as she used to be. Everybody depreciates Yet between Ruth and Rom. there was little to choose when they "tue married. They were both good types. Ruth had not a belter character, a better temper, a better nervous system, a better appearance then. Now, a gulf is fixed, but'that gulf is not due l', any inherent superiority ol Ruth «vei Rona; it is due to a superonty in Ruth’s husband over Rona s husband Ruth’s husband was a helpei to " i Rona’s was a hinderer to R'.na. So when you meet these tim anxious, distracted, over-wrought restless, unhappy, neurotic women, i o im 1)0 too harsh or too hasty. 11 the blinds; take a peep into the home see Mr ; perhaps he deserves ah the contempt which you arc so g«. m 1 | ously bestowing upon his unhapp.v victim. —M. PRESTON STANLEY.