There are four seasons in married life—­spring, summer, fall and winter, and we are going to need a comrade as we go through each of them.  And the one we want is the one we start with—­the gentle partner in all our joys and sorrows.  It is she who will stand back of us when all others fail.  When the children come along to bless our days and inspire us to greater efforts we are glad to look into their happy, smiling faces and find that they resemble their mother—­their soft cheeks are like hers, their hands, their dainty ways, their caresses.  And when mama looks into those same bright eyes they make her think of their daddy.  The fond affection bestowed upon the children by both parents is but another mode of expressing their regard for each other.

Springtime days, these!  When little tots climb up and entwine their arms about our necks.  If this were married life’s only compensation it would not prove in vain—­for when the babies enter the home the tie that binds becomes hard and fast—­if the man is a manly man.  To become the father of a bright-eyed babe is an experience of the highest importance to a young man getting started.  It reinforces his courage, doubles up his ambitions and puts him on his metal.  He has a new responsibility and it adds to his strength of character to assume it in all its phases.  Another thing it brings comfort and joy to the mother during the long days while her man is out in the fray. It drives ennui out of the household throughout our springtime days.

And when summer comes along new hopes dawn within us.  Springtime had found us up and doing and when it merged into the new season we found our aspirations even stronger than before.  Children must be educated and their futures prepared in advance as far as may be.  They must not go into the world without tools to work with.  Meanwhile the household teems with plans and becomes a veritable dreamland of youthful fervor.  We find that having helped our children into attractive personalities they have become magnets with which to draw about us their comrades.  Thus we hold on to our youth by virtue of our surroundings—­creatures of our thoughtfulness concerning “wedlock in time.”

That the fall season is coming has no terrors for us.  There will be the weddings and plannings for new homes close by—­if we have our say.  And in due course, the grandchildren will come who will favor grandpa and grandma and once again youth knocks at our door.  There will be no dread winter days for us for we have been forehanded—­we have a new crew on board to chase away the cares of old age and infirmities.

Try how we will there is no way to forestall the operation of the law of compensation.  We reap as we sow.  The world will be good to those who compel its respect by becoming the right sort of citizens. Wedlock in time—­that’s the answer!

CHAPTER XIX