In the first case they either precipitate themselves
into matrimony or have one or more intrigues until they find the man they
wish to marry, when they settle down and make excellent wives. The others,
if they are imaginative and high-minded, fall in love romantically and
marry far too soon; or they capitalize their youth or beauty and marry to
the best advantage; or they elect to live a life of serene spinsterhood
like Alexina's Aunt Clara, and bring up the family children. A not
inconsiderable number take their fling late.
When the American girl of the super-refined class, and whose baleful norm
in the crypt was asleep at the wheel in her first blind youth, finds
herself disappointed in the most intimate partnership that exists, the
complaisance, voluntary at the beginning, drifts into habit, more and more
grimly endured. Some have the moral courage to put an end to it as they
would to any false situation, but if individuals were not rare in this
world we should have chaos, not a civilization of sorts which is a pleasant
place to plant the feet, however high into the clouds the head may poke its
investigating nose.
It is natural that with such women during the period of endurance all love
should seem distasteful, and the mind dwell upon any other subject. But
remove the cause of sex-inertia and there is likely to be the stir and
awakening of spring after a long monotonous winter of hard frost and
blanketing snow.
Pages:
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242