THE CLINGING VINE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 12 February 1927, Page 15

THE CLINGING VINE.

> NOT A MODERN TYPE. This is the age of the dashing sports girl, but tucked away in odd corners can still be found the delicate "clinging vine,” who knocks a wonderfully good time out of life in spite of many opinions to the contrary. At first glance (says Or. Edith Burton in tlio Auckland Star) it would appear that, her robust sister who is always to the fore, who is rarely ill, who never needs the helping hand, who can take an oar, drive a car, or get out and help to dig it out if needs be, must be the ideal of the young sportsman of today. But after a good many years of "looking on” one realises that it is very hard to say whether this sporting girl appeals more or less than her "leaning” sister. Men prefer which? To state that a girl who is a man’s best pal, remains just that, is not being highly original, but it is, however, an undisputed fact. So much is it so that I’ve known of a man who, with the colossal selfishness of the male, expected keep his pal in the sports field, and have a fluffy "clinging vine” wife at home. He wanted his friend to be there "on top” so to speak, to enter into all his golf or tennis enthusiasms —that was to be her portion-—no need of a male for her: hadn’t she his valuable friendship, and couldu’t she return to the bosom of her family when the long field days ended in night, when he went home to his adoring fluffy for vest, change and refreshment? This is the age of strenuous physical culture

for girls, and wliilc it lias given, them wonderful new fields to conquer, while it has torn from them many ridiculous artificialities, one can’t help feeling that at times the pruning knife has gone too deep, the shears have been too sharp. When nature made woman a finer and more delicate type than man, she meant that for all time. To bring out the manly, protective tenderness of the male she gave him a weaker vessel to look to him for help and support. THE INDEPENDENT FEMALE. When, by gradual process of enlightenment, we arrived at this day this wonderful day where Kate can outlast Tom at tennis; where Sid faints with fatigue on the side of the mountain, and Sis triumphantly writes her name on the coping-stone; where the "weaker vessels” swim fearsome channels, to be "chaired” by stronger vessels who could never manage that feat—then men? with a hurt that they are only half aware of, feeling that a protective air would be absurd, treat Mary, .Toan and Sis as off-handedly as they do their fellow-men. Wc find men careless in their speech, their manners, and even their attitude towards women becomes undefinably changed.

What is the use of holding out one’s hand to help Claire over the style when one knows she. could clear it in a run and jump as well as oneself? Why trouble about the "light wood” box when Alice was runner-up in the ladies’ axe competition? All this prowess on woman’s .part is so jolly in the fields of sport, but at home—doesn’t it make man feel that he has lost his job? The self-sufficient Sarah doesn’t leave that

manner in the field. She brings it home, and when Jack wants an adoring, admiring audience of one when he gets home at night Sarah is full of "the foursome they played that morning” or has won the ladder competition at tennis, and Jack has to sit in. the audience —not mount the stage — Sarali "walks the boards” all the evening. The fluffy person’s thoughts may be in Timbuetoo while she purrs at intervals "Really Jack?” "You did, darling? How wonderful”; "I am proud.” But what doe's that matter if her sweet responses just fit in when Jack pauses for breath. Sometimes the "clinging vine” strangles her mate. Like the rata vine climbing on the kahikatea her demands become smothering. That- headache—that "frantic head” —becomes a horrible weapon in her hands. Her nerves "play up” when Jack mentions a man’s party; and after ten years of wedded life we find a, woman miserable because she has no opposition, and a miserable worm of a man who has sold Ms manhood for "peace at any price.” Yet there are thousands of each kind mated. Therefore, it would seem that men prefer both.