Careless Husbands

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 4, Issue 10, 1 April 1926, Page 22

Careless Husbands

j£ow Cjfhey %isk of (Jheir Wives JEove

“Has Joyce really left Harry after all their years of married life? But why? I always thought he zuas such a good husband to her.” “He zuas good, but oh! hozu dull and unattractive.” XX IE were discussing a wife’s de- * sertion of her husband, and trying to find reasons for the shipwreck of a marriage which for years had seemed ideal. “Face cream is the clue to the riddle,” said June. “Women use it, men don’t. That’s typical of their different attitudes. Women who want to keep their husband’s interest, take trouble with their dress, their hair, their complexions, even their minds, which entails still more effort. Men seldom make any effort whatever to keep the remnants of good looks left to them. It may be from a conceited idea that, however much they deteriorate mentally or physically, their wives will still find in them the charm that first awakened their love; or it may be merely indifference.” ''DUT there are attractive men of middle-age,” I protested.

“There are,” said Jane, “but how few! The attitude of middle-aged spinsters is very illuminating. My aunt came back a few weeks ago from a visit to my recently married sister, sentimentally regretting the happiness she had missed. A few weeks later, after a visit to a married friend of middle age, she was rejoicing that she had remained unmarried, and had escaped ‘poor Mildred’s dreadful fate.’ T am really thankful that I never married when I see the lives of some of my married friends,’ she said. ‘We all grow crotchety with age; but how trying to one’s patience men can be. Poor Mildred!’ ” Columns of advice to women on how to keep their husbands’ love are written, but never have I seen a single sentence telling a man how to keep his wife’s love, which is surely equally important. Is it that men consider themselves irresistible until the contrary is proved, and gilding the lily an extravagant occupation? Perhaps it is well for middle-aged spinsters that the average man does deteriorate so much. Otherwise their life would be full of regrets, instead of rejoicing—as they do—for their unmarried state.