Photoplay Magazine, January 1921 (anuary 1921)

Photoplay Magazine 29 THE greatest satisfaction a wife can have is to know that she holds a maji who is much loved by other women" To shake her faith in these dainty, graceful pretenses, or her belief in her ability to get away with them, has the same effect that a stool pigeon has on an ex-convict who is trying to go straight. The husband who robs his wife of any of these little tricks with which she so blissfully deceives him, is preparing a fertile field for the seeds of discontent some wiser man will sow. Don't, above all things, make fun of these little pretenses. They are charming. The mask only makes her eyes brighter, and if you tear it aside, you may reveal the death's head of love. The most indulgent wife is the one who is most successfully flattered. Women must have appreciation. They must have an anthem of praise for the simplest, most commonplace actions. Woman is still pagan enough to want her love-life symbolized. The little daily attention, the simple flattery of small gifts, of amusements arranged with an eye to her tastes, or remem- brances of her desires, are to her "outward signs of an inward grace." It is not that she is trivial, either. It is simply that she is more direct, yet more delicate, in her perceptions; more ca- pable of getting joy from small things. Indifference may be the weapon for a lover, but it is a boomerang for a husband. Women are instinc- tively virtuous. They are also virtuous by ex- pediency. A woman strays from her home only when the primi- tive daughter of Eve within, drives her to seek the warmth, the praise, the adoration that she sincerely be- lieves are her birth- right. You see, to re- main virtuous a woman has to fight not only her own desires but the attack of man. (A man . has nothing to fight but satiety.) But nothing protects a wife from this outside attack as well as the cotton bat- ting of flattery or ap- preciation. Women do not grow tired of love. It is an appetite that grows with gratifying. Do you remember the small boy that "never had enough ice cream yet?" Well, women are like that about love. And they must be given enough sweets to keep them from seeking elsewhere, but not enough to give them indigestion. The desire to please is the first instinct women consciously recognize. A husband who doesn't give his wife a natural outlet for this desire is tearing down his own fences. And women are never sure they have pleased—at least the fine edge of pleasing is blunted—unless they are told about it by the husband himself. There is nothing a woman will not suffer to enhance her beauty. That is because beautiful women are supposed to receive the most love. A woman wants you to love her be- cause she is beautiful, not think her beautiful because you love her. The man who says, "Never mind, darling, you are beautiful to me because I love you" is an ass. YV ally and his wife in their home, tuning up for a little domestic harmony. Pretty good evidence that Wally's theories are sound, what? Inconstancy in woman is occasionally due to sheer careless- ness or immorality. Most often it is due to neglect. A woman's taste for conversation about love, for the small demon- strations and manifestations of love, never wearies. That is where husbands most often fail. By nature, men give these small acts of love, these words and demonstrations of it, only during courtship. But if he is a wise man, he will cultivate the habit. If a man can learn to play golf, he can learn to play marriage, that's all. Women are extremely cautious in love. They prefer the flower that grows inside the wall, if it is well tended, to the most flourishing weeds outside. A man actually desires above all things to be sure of his wife's faithfulness. But a woman is never angered if her husband is admired by hundreds of other women. It makes her conquest the more remarkable. Nobody can teach a woman the real value of a man except another woman. The greatest satisfaction a wife can have, is to know that she holds a man who is much loved by other women. She will even forgive a slight straying in that direction sooner than believe she is tied to a man nobody else wants. If a man is unfor- tunate enough to find that he has frozen his wife into the arms of another man. he shouldn't run for a gun —he should run for an- other woman. At 18 woman re- quires romance, at 25 love, at 40 diversion, and at 50 conversation. When a woman shows a marked incli- nation to talk about an- other man—even if she pans him—the husband probably needs to put his house in order. A woman will think a long, long time before she leaves a husband who sends her flowers, remembers her favorite perfume, and kisses her ardently in public. Marriage is a lottery in which men stake their freedom, women their happiness. Love is merely the ticket that lets you sit in the game, and guarantees nothing. A woman will forgive almost anything you do. if she loves you, but she will never forgive the things you don't do. Too great familiarity in marriage is harder on a woman than a man. You may show her your worst side with impunity, but if you once let her show you hers you have robbed her forever of innocence. You may safely wound her love for you, but if you wound her self-love, you break her self- respect. A husband must constantly fight the dread specter of matri- mony—habit. The turmoil of his daily life makes a man glad to become a creature of habit in his home. The monotony of her existence makes woman a constant rebel against habit. Since she is a creature most vitally affected by her surroundings, this can be easily broken. A man, to break the monotony of the love game, must have a new partner. Woman needs only a new setting. A WOMA7s[ wants you to love her because she is beaw tiful, not thin\ her beautiful because you love her"