Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-01-13
Settling Property on {. Wife.

Settling Property on Il Wife.
When men arc prosperous, and are ma
king money, and consider themselves rich
{, I wonder it so seldom comes home to then
that they are liable to reverses, which ma,
plunge their families into the utmost pecu
mary distress Men know that business il
| subject to fuctuation, and that nothing il
more frequent thon that men should in one
year have all the comforts and advantages
Of wealth, and the next year be stripped
bare. But vicious hopcfulness prevents
them from realizing that they shall ever be
subject to this fate which bcfals others
Men expect to live; they do not antioi
pate bankruptcy. When times change,
and the pinch comes, it is too late for them
to make provision for the family. The wife,
the children, the whole hous hold are sud-
denly plunged into distress. Indeed, much
as the business man suffers himself, his own
pangs are the least part of his suffering =
have lived long enough to see the over
throw of q great many families, because the
father, believing that he should live and al
ways keep them in comfortable cireumstan
ces, had neglected to make an independent
provision for them.
At the mans death the estate proves
either insolvent, or is reduced to the mini
mum. The wife, not trained to business,
is obliged to settle the estate by agents
What with unskillful management, careless
ness, Or even, some times, deliberate fraud,
the residium melts in her hands, and the
widow, with five or six young children to be
fed, clothed and educated, finds herself
alone and pennless Habits cannot be
changed in day. She has not been train
ed to business She may have been a good
housekeeper; but now she must earn mon
ey, which is very different thing from or
dering household skillfully Some, utter
~ ovcrmatched, break down under the trial !;
and the children are scattered like young
cartridges whose mother the hawk has de-
voured.
[ believe it to be the duty of every man
who is prosperous, out Of debt and making
money, to settle upon his wife certain
amount Of property, which shall not be af.
fected by either his bankruptcy or his death
This may be done by a life insurance. But
a still better way is to settle upon the wife
a good house and furniture. Then if mis-
fortune comes, the man will still have
home. He will be secure at the root, and
may begin again with some hope. If death
takes away the father, the nest remains
The children do not need to be scattered
Some persons have questioned whether
scrupulous honesty would allow one to hold
back from creditors any part Of a husbands
property. A settlement of property on an-
other while debt hangs oyer it. either for
the sake Of avoiding payment of debts, or
of securing the family, would be fraudulent,
dishonest and wicked But if. while clear
of debt the husband settles property on his
wife for the just maintenance of herself and
children his after-debts have no more claim
upon that property than if he had sold and
transferred it to Il ueighbor instead of to his
own wife. No man has a right to leave
family, whom he has accustomed to affsu-
ence, liable to sudden and wasting poverty.
A provision made betimes, in property for
the safety of his family in case of his death
or bankruptcy, may be accepted and en-
ploycd by the most sensitive con ,cience [
write strongly on the subject, because |
have seen so much distress arising from the
want Of such precaution.
A WoMAN's DEFENSE OF DRESS = For
myself should be thankful to return to the
habit Of our grandmother /; buy bonnet
which would do to wear ten years have
three dresses, two for every day, and one
fer ''nice," and wear them year after year
till they wear out, WITHOUT alteration, also
twist up my hair in plain wad at the back
of my head should then have more time
for reading and study, and more money to
spend for books, pictures and travelling, to
say nothing of the unlimited time and money
for doing good. And I know of very many
women who would be only too happy to
throw aside werrisome shackles of fashion
But what would either result With the
maiden no more bcaux with a wife-a
cessation of devotion on the part of her
husband. Results too dire to be contem-
plated for moment | speak what [ know,
and testify what [ have seen [ have nay
self been to parties sensibly and economically
clad. and I was despised and rejected of
men, again [ have been more fasbionably
and extensively attired, and had more beaux
than I knew what to do with. By the way,
why don't some of these wise and sensible
bachelors court and marry among the vast
army of working girls They are dressed
very simple, and are accustomed to habits
of economy They would be glad of good
homes, and would make excellent wives
They are personally attractive, and, |
doubt not are quite as refined and intelligent
as the average of fashionable women. Why
is their not greater demand for them as
wives, and why are not the Flora McFlim-
seys drug in the market ? Let the facts
speak for themselves. Be not deceived, O.,
my brethren With you lies the fault .
fIuII1 YOU tho noss,5a 20
pay court to silks, panniers, frills and CHG