cive to
the success of any effort toward creating moments of amusement and
happiness. Her presence acts as a deterrent and repeated failures to
overcome this domestic cloud finally result in a complete cessation of
all effort. Things fall into a rut and each member of the family seek
their various forms of diversion outside the home circle.

These individuals are sometimes spoken of as "trouble seekers." In a
sense, the term is appropriate, because the troubles which wreck their
peace of mind never occur. In the beginning there is usually some slight
physical ailment. As a rule, it is some form of nervous indigestion.
Under appropriate and adequate treatment such forms of indigestion are
readily curable in ordinary individuals, but these patients are not
ordinary individuals. They are perverse and opinionated. They have their
own ideas. It is impossible to convince them that they are not as sick
as they imagine. They think the physician fails to quite comprehend
their cases,--that he does not recognize the serious side of the
ailment, and so they are never wholly satisfied with medical assistance.
The little incidental pains of the indigestion are indications of heart
disease to such a patient and she acts in sympathy with this awful
affliction; the real explanation being that the gas produced by the
indigestion bothers the heart for the time being. She is very apt to
diet as a consequence, one article after another being avoided until she
is living on a starvation diet. She fails to appreciate the fact that
she needs more nourishment, not less; that her stomach is in good
condition, the fault being with her nerves. She finally becomes anemic
and neurasthenic and a misanthrope.

The young wife can readily appreciate that, to expect domestic success
and happiness under such circumstances, would be impossible. Yet there
are young wives who develop this habit of accentuating their little
pains and ailments inordinately, to their husbands, on every occasion.
They adopt this dangerous means of exciting extra sympathy and
caressing. Some do it in explanation of their failure to perform their
household duties efficiently--a laziness plea pure and simple.

These inefficient and tricky little ladies find that it is easy to
impose upon their unsuspecting husbands, so they proceed to work out the
details to their own satisfaction. After spending the day sight-seeing
or shopping or gossiping, and having neglected their work and f