SHORT TEMPERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 907, 6 January 1917, Page 2

SHORT TEMPERS.

Kxressive monotony in a man'* way of living doubtless tends more than any other <ir<-uinstnii«-es to shorten his temper. To feel that you are going on ami on. day after clay, ami yet that yon are not making any real progress—indeed, that instead of fretting anywhere you are gradually slipping back —in- lines you to bestow blame freely and fully whenever there is an opening. Ami in the bosom of your family, such an opening is seldom wanting. Monotony in the ordinary family's way of living i< largely attributable, of course," to the sleuderne«s of the ordinary family purse. It bears with greater severity on the woman than on the man. The man has two ba-es of operation—his home and his office, or his shop or his farm —but the woman has only one--her home. She dee- not «harc in the daily rliange of scene and fellowship that i< hei husband's portion. Her work is usually more monotonous and uninteresting than his. It is also of a nature more trying to the nerves. Cooking, sewing, sweeping, cleaning, keeping small children in or.'er. enjoying only intermittent and occasional intercourse with her friends, instead of daily companionship with them, such as Ls her husband's lot —if the ordinary husband would stop to think about it. he would wonder how his wife manages - lo keep as serene and sweet tempered as >he does. Still mora would he applaud her .-a.-, ess in bringing up the children to have good manners and considerate feelings, instead of harsh voices and quarrelsome dispositions, sad: n< characterise the family next door. Intelligent appreciation by the husband helps wonderfully to mitigate the monotony of the woman's life and to lengthen out her temper. Th<- man who comes home from his day's work silent, preoccupied, or glum, who spends his evening with the newspaper, without even condescending to rea t the headlines aloud, and who confines h ; < (able talk to a few perfun-tory inquiries ~r :l complaining discussion o:' ways and means, may think that he appreciate* his wife: but he has iio right To reI.r..ach her if she ir„iv- ,-ros- and badtempered. If in anv wa\ it ran be arranged, husband an.: wt'e -' c.-.-.ld take a >-hort vacation awv»- from • . . hj other on. e a -ear. Such :' vac.'itioti promotes in ea.h a percoi.t -»i\ ■ nd hi of tl ■■ other "s o,„m! Una lit;, -. ai, ' ajii iccintiou of the ..• *-. ■- '-■■■;■ • . and i'c.r'j:i.'i.r>- o- ..'..> ;-,,. - >f th<j other'- faults. \\v.- ■ ■;, i riiid ■-.';. then return in ead • iiti: a i ontentment, and - lh nwu xr.-r--: h-*T to a new happiness.