Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-08
TELL YOUR WIFE.

sETeIl my wife r'4said Aaron Little, speak
ing aloud, yet to himself, in a half amused,
| half troubled way. "Tell nv wife, indeed!
| Much good that win Go. What does she
! know about business, and money matters,
| and the tricks of trade :? No, no there's 10
hope there"
And Aaron Little sat musing with per-
picked countenance.t He held newspaper
| in his hand, and his eyes had just been
lingering over paragraph, in which the
| writer suggested to business men in trouble
| the plopriety Of consulting their wives.
Talk to them freely about your affairs"
| 1t said. LET them understand exactly
your condition. Tell them Of your diff
culties, Of your embarrasSments, and your
plans for eXtricating yourselves from the
entanglementS in which you are involved.
My word for it, you will get help in nine
cases out of ten. Women have quick per-
ceptions. They reach conclusions by
nearer way than reasoning, and get at the
solution Of difficult question long before
your slow moving thoughts bring you near
/ enough for accurate observation. Tell your
wives, then, men in trouble, all about your
affairs. Keep nothing back. The better
they understand the matter, the better will
be their perceptions"
"Al a very fine theory" said Aaron Lit
leaning back iii his chair, ''but it won't do
in my case. Tell Betsy! Yes, I'd like to
see myself doing it. A man must be hard
pushed indeed, when he goes home to con-
suit his wife on business affairs"
And so Aaron Little dismissed the sub
ject. He was in considerable doubt and
pefpleNity Of mind. Things had not gone
well with him for a year past. Dull bust
ness and bad debts had left his affairs in
not see his way clear for the future Take
ing trade as it had been for the past six
months, he could not imagine how, with
the resources at his command. his matured
payments were to be made.
Il ,nust get more capital he said to him
/ self ''That is plain. And with more cap
ital must come in a partner. l don't like
partnerships. 1t is difficult for two men to
work together harmoniously. Then you
may get entanSled with a rogue. It's a
risky business. But | see no other way out
Of this trouble. My own capital is too light
for the business | am doing and as a mat
ter of safety more must be brought in
! Lawrence is anxious to join me, and he
says he can command ten thousand pounds.
| don't like him i'll ali respects he is a lit
tie too fond of pleasure. But | want his
money more than his aid i'll business. He
might remain a silent partner if he chose.
III call and See him this very night and have
a little chat on the subject. If he can bring
i'll ten thousand pounds l think that will
settle the matter"
With this conclusion in his mind, Aaron
Little returned home after closing his ware
house for the day. Tea being over, he made
preparations for going out, with the intcn-
ton of calling upon Mr., Lawrence. AS he
reached his hand for Ii great coat a voice
seemed to say to him
''Tell your wife. Talk to her about it,
But he rejected the thought instantly,
and commenced drawing on his coat in
stantly.
"Where are you going, Aaron? ?'' asked
Mrs. Little, coming forth from the dining
room.
"Out for little WHILE" he replied. 'Ill
be back in half an hour or So"
''Out where?'
"Tell her, Aaron. Tell her all about it,
said the voice, speaking in his mind.
Nonsense! She don't understand any
thing about business. She can't help me-"
TEL your wife !" The words were in
his mind, and would keep repeating them
selves.
Cant you say where you are going,
Aaron? Why do you make a mystery Of
it ~
"Oh, it's only a matter OF business I'm
going to see Mr. Lawrence"
= Edward Lawrence p
Yes"
Tell your wife = The words seemed
almost as if uttered aloud i'll his ears.
what are you going to see him about ?'
Tell her!"
Mr.. Little stood irresolute. What good
would telling her do
whats the matter Aaron? You've
been dull for some time past. Nothing gC=
ing wrong with you, i hope - And his
wife laid her hand upon his arm, and leaned
towards him i'll q kind way.
"Nothing very wrong" he answered in
an evasive manner. . Business has been
duh this season."
HAS it ? I'm sorry. Why didn't you
tell me ?''
"What good would that have done ?'
g 1t might have done good deal ofgOod.
When 4 mans business is dull, his wife
should look to the household expenses, but
if she knows nothing about it, she may go
on in a way that is really eXtravagant un-
der the circumstances. L think that men
ought always to tell their wives when any
thing is going WrOng.'
~ ou do?'
s'Cetainly do. What better reasop can
you wait than the one | have given? If
she knows that the income is reduced, as a
| prudent wife, she will endeavor to reduce
! the expenses. 11dQIl you D6ICer take Oh
/, your coat, and sit down and talk with me
, little, before you go to see Alr. Law
renee ,"
Mr. Little permitted his wife to draw of
his overcoat, which she took into the pas
sage and replaced Oh the hat-rack. Then
returning into the pallor, she said
} ''Now, Aaron, talk to me as freely as you
choose. Don't keep anything back. What
ever the trouble is, let me know it 10 the
D full extent
''Oh, there's no very great trouble. yet.
, am only afraid Of trouble. see it conf
: ing, and wish to keep out of its way,
Betsy
. That's wise and prudent" said lis wife.
: "Now tell me why you are going to see Mr..
Lawrence"
Mr.. Little let his eyes fall to the floor
and sat for some moments in silence. Then,
looking up, he said
The truth is, Betsy, must have more
capital in my business. There will be nC
getting on without it. Now Mr.. Lawrence
: can command, or at least he says he can
) command, ten thousand pounds. think h
would like to join me- He has SAID a:
r much two CT three times
"And you were going to see him on that
business ?'
Don't do it, said Mrs. Little, en-
phatically.
Why not - asked Aaron.
| I" Because he isn't the man for you
not if he had twenty thousand pounds
Because is no reasOn," replied Aaron
, Little.
"rhe extravaganza Ct his wife is" was