Mundane Musings The Man Who Marries Martha

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 99, 18 July 1927, Page 5

Mundane Musings The Man Who Marries Martha

We all know the Bible story of Martha and Mary—and the two types still exist—Martha, who is careful and "troubled about many things”—her house, and if the joint is cooked, and whether that is a dent in the silver teapot; and Mary, who “chose the better part.” But what is astonishing is how many men who deliberately propose to Martha turn round after the wedding, and expect her to show all the attributes of Mary as well! “My wife is a good wife and a good mother,” they say to any Mary they come across, “but she is not like you. She does not understand. She is wrapped up in domesticity. She has no notion of the other side of life. She is an excellent cook and housekeeper, but that is all.” Life With Mary And they suggest how far, far sooner they would tramp the broad highway in the company of Mary, who has eyes to see the stars and ears to hear the song that the wind sings amongst the trees. And Mary, if she is young and inexperienced, and especially if she likes him, will sympathise. He is starved, thinks she, his whole soul is crying out. His spirit is parched. And she looks at him sorrowfully. Ah, if only she had met him in time before he was “caught”—before he fell into Martha’s toils! For every Mary, no matter how sweet she may be, imagines that every

Martha is a somewhat designing female who led her man into matrimony against his better nature and almost against bis will. Now. I hold no brief for the Marthas of this world. Ido not like them, but 1 must say they are usually very sincere! They make no attempt to hide their pain and anguish if the carpet is muddied by outdoor boots, they do not stifle their wails when the cushion which Aunt Jane worked last year is slept on by the dog, and when cigarette ash is spilt outside the ash-tray they do not fail to gnash their teeth. They think these things so important that they see no cause to pretend otherwise, and I doubt that the man who marries a Martha is led to think she is other than she is. Certainly, having got her and his well-run house he may well find something lacking which cannot be supplied by an excellent cook or by order brought to its very highest degree. But I doubt that if he had procured that something by marriage with Mary he would be content, for the sake of it, to put up with cold bath-water, untidy rooms, and holes in his socks. And, though she was always there to urge him onwards and upwards. 1 doubt if he would stay serene at the nineteenth time of finding there was nothing for dinner but cold mutton. Change Mary Into Martha He would urge her to take cooking lessons and give up reading poetry, he -would ask in no vague terms if he had not the right to expect a little comfort —and demand if she was aware of the money she spent and what she thought he got for it? And the moral seems to be -that one cannot have everything, and also that when Martha’s husband crops up asking for Mary’s sympathy, she would do well before she gives too much of it to think at least twice!