CHAPTER XXXI
HOW MUCH CAN WE TRUST OUR MATE
Here is a question for married people. It may have an academic interest for the unmarried. It reads: "How much should you trust your husband or wife?"
Scarcely anything is more pitiable than a marriage where the man or the wife is unable for good reason to trust the other.
I heard of a case the other day of a young woman who took advantage of her opportunity to go out in the evening alone in search of diversion. She met in a public dance hall a young man who pleased her fancy, and to whom she was merely a foolish girl.
She said that she was married and showed her marriage ring, and to let him know how little she prized it she gave it to him to wear. You may be sure, however indifferent to honor the young man was, he did not value her evidence of interest. Men are like that.
The husband noticed the absence of the ring and finally found out where it had gone. He went to the young man who had it and received it back, and without a fight, for the young man who had it in his pocket was glad to give it back.
Can you imagine a situation more pitiable? The husband actually loved his wife, although to my mind from things I saw, he was not much of a man. The wife evidently did not love him and was ready to be untrue to him. He could not trust her. What are they to do? I do not know. The woman was without either love or honor. She had no principle whatsoever. How far could he trust her? You have the answer.
But that is the dark side of the case, one of the many tragedies of life. We are thinking rather of people who have some sense of honor, some principles by which to guide their lives. How far can a husband trust his wife? How far can a wife trust her husband?
It is all a matter of character. If the wife is without that kind of character which comes from religion, or from high moral principle, she is walking along a slippery road.
If the man is without high moral principle, he also is in constant danger.
You can trust your husband or your wife, if he or she has self-respect, respect for principle, respect for religion, has had planted in him or her inhibitions which make for correct living.