separation comes it is _really_ a relief to _both_ parties. The only
real pain in such cases comes from the spirit of _revenge_, or a desire
on the part of one or the other to pose as injured innocence, that she
or he may rake in the sympathy and fire the indignation of just such
uninformed friends as M.T.C. Wing.

I have known a lot of people who separated--known them intimately and
observed them well. In not one of these cases did the deserted party
claim to _love_ the deserter. In all there was a real _relief_ when it
was all over. In every case the one thing which had held them together
so long was _fear of disgrace_. "Oh, _what_ will people think of
me?"--is the first cry of everybody--especially women. It was _that_
which made the deserted one unhappy and resentful. It is that which
makes many women pose as injured innocents and rate the deserter as a
villain. And all the time _in secret_ they are glad, _glad_ that they
are relieved of the burden of living with an uncongenial husband
or wife.

Of course there are other reasons why women hate to be left by their
husbands. One is that their support is apt to go with the deserter.

Public opinion keeps many a family in the same house years after it
really _knows_ it is separated widely as the poles.

The dread of having to take care of herself keeps many a woman hanging
like grim death to a man she knows she does not love, and who
despises her.

The fear of public opinion and the love, not of money, but of _ease_,
holds together under one roof tens of thousands of families who have