Marion Marlowe's Money, or, Brave Work in the Slums — page 33: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

of riches and mere manly beauty. Remember that “riches take wing” and “‘beauty is but skin deep.”? You should look for something more last- ing in a husband. ; “Tf it will not take up too much of your time, I would be very glad if you would answer my let- y" ter. Iam engaged to marry a young man whois my second cousin. Do you believe it possible for me to love him as I might one who was no rela- tion? He is the only young man who ever made love to me, and sometimes | think that I do not love him with the whole depth of-my nature. Please tell me what to do, as Iam ina quandary. | (Cine €,” _ We advise you to postpone your marriage in- definitely, Inez. If it-is a possible thing, you should travel. After- you have met other men - you can tell better whether you love your second eousin. We do not approve of relations marry- _ ing, especiaily where the essential quality and quantity of affection are so evidently lacking. may be impatient and annoyed at first, but if he is a sensible, just man, he will eventually agree until you are sure you love him. We sincerely hope that you will find another lover. The weight of responsibility in the ordinary marriage is heavy enough, but when blood relations marry it becomes far heavier. We do not understand how any young girl dares to shoulder such a burden. - . f _ “My lover isin the army, but he has not gone to China or the Philippines. When we go out together I neverfeel proud of him unless he has on his uniform, which is that of second lieuten- ant. He is not very good-looking, but the gay uniform seems to set him off, and his military bearing niakes me almost love him. Can you tell me why Ishould feel so differently at different times? Is it because I do not really love him? 3 es ‘*LOrTTir.’? _ You are not the first girl, Lottie, to be dazzled by “‘brass buttons” and ‘‘shoulder straps.” When — our boys came honye from Cuba, after the Span- & ish-American war, the very plainest of them found scores of girls almost ready to throw them- _ Selves at their heads, yet many of them had fa never before had a sweetheart. Before the uni- - forms were laid aside these ‘‘soldier boys’? were deluged with attentions, but now, alas! they seem to have drifted back to oblivion. The girls have had a surfeit of “military heels’ and cam- ‘paign hats, and their love, like the gold braid, _has grown sadly rusty. If you do not love your ‘Sweetheart in his plain, every-day clothes we would advise you to break yourengagement with him. This country cannot be continually at war in order to make her boys look attractive and also dazzle the eyes and addle the brains of a lot of girls who are hero worshippers. . ae have been engaged to a fellow fora year, We cannot afford to get married for at least a bad Vx MY QUEEN. Explain your feelings to your lovercandidly. He . that you are doing right in not marrying him. 31 year or so more, and in the meantime he is sim- py making me miserable—he is so jealous, of me. e does not like me to go out with my relatives, - even, and if I dance or chat with other men when ata party my lover makes me miserable after- ward with his questions as to what I said and did, and what the other fellow said and did, unti) Iam nearly driven distracted. He says that it is only because we are not married, and that as soon as we are he will not feel that way. Do youthink marriage would change this most unhappy trait in his character? FLORENCE P. B.”’ You seem to have about the same type of fiance as Mabel G., whose letter and the answer thereto you may apply to your own case. We do not believe that marriage will:make any such change as your lover imagines. It seems to us that if he makes you unhappy now that he would make you doubly so if you were tied to him for * life. Insist upon his blotting these unreasonable no- tions from his mind entirely before marriage, and you will be taking the wisest possible stand. ‘“Vour kindly advige to young girls has led me to judge that you will not object to helping a married woman in hertroubles. I have only.been married two years, but I have experienced enough unhappiness for a lifetime. »*My husband and I get on beautifully when aloge, but during our married life either his motheror his aunt has been living with us for the greater, part of the time. When they are here there is trouble con- tinually. They do not like me, and they stir up discussions in a quiet, underhand way that makes » it impossible for me to pick out any one particu- lar act, but which makes both my husband and myself miserable. He tries to smooth them down, and to explain to me that they don't mean to be captious, and spends half his time trying to straighten things out. “Now, won’t you advise me what to do? I want to treat my husband’s relatives rightly, but all my efforts to make myself congenial to them seem to be in vain. Mrs. CATHARINE D.”” Your husband has our sympathy. There are few positions more trying to a man’s temper than to be placed between two warring women. Your own condition is certainly a very unpleasant one, and we are sorry that you have had to start married life under such circumstances. | Why do you not talk the matter over with your husband calmly and philosophicaly? If he loves you he will be glad to consider your ideas, and you certainly have first claim upon his considera- tion. Explain to him how foolish it is to spoil two lives for the sake of a third, and show him haw the continual petty strife is embittering his and your existence. Ask him who is most dear to him —you whom he has sworn to protect and love or his relatives whose claim on him is only that of chance. He has deliberately selected you as his comrade for life—you have apparently given up your family for him, and he should not hesitate to relinquish his for you, if necessary. If you and he weigh the matter carefully you will doubtless come to some conclusion that will be mutually satisfactory. ECORNICLOO (C S) (CO)