Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-10-01
WiDes and JfOneU.

OF sll the little foxes that help TO de-
stroy the domestic vines, no one is more
omnip,esent. or busy. than that small
pest which inlssls alike the houses OF the
rich and of the poor. which makes i;
necessary Tor tho wife to Ssk her husband
Tor money TO supply the daily recurring
family necessities. and her own.
1t inevitably creates discontsnt,S sense
of humiliation, degradation, and sep
sration. The woman who had earned,
and been free to use her weekly wages,
OF yearly salary, or larger income. be.
tore her marriage, and after that event,
though her time is more fully occupied
than ever, has no money except ut her
asking-and not alway th0n-lesls just
asa man would feel who should bo
placed in the same circumstances.
She gave up her opportunity to acquire
money by the usual methods. Tor the
sake of ths home and the family.
To this end she devotes her time,
thoughts. and efforts. every day, and all
The year. without cessation or vacation.
But custom everywhere. and law ia
many places. puts all the money OF the
family in the hands OF the husband. The
wife lives as dependant. She has what
is given her, cheerfully or grudgingly.
as the case may be. but inevitably learns
10 hate her position. and to grow away
from the msa who gives only when he
is asked. II may be mere thoughtiess.
ness on his part, but the result with the
wife is the same.
One of the most fruitful sources OF
discomfort in the home is the too depend
Ont position oi the wife. II husbands
would consider what il would he 10 them
to bc situated precisely in the same way,
SO lar As money is concerned, every just
and generous man among them would
see to il ut once, that his house should
not hold DO fruitful source OF unhappi-
ness
Many years ago, al excellent man told
me his experience in this particular. lie
had not been married year, but he
noticed change in the look and manner
OF his wie-she seemed less cheerful,
loss happy. The old glad welcome at
his daily return from business had ceased.
lie know no reason for the change. He
sincerely loved her, and was miserable
when he saw that she was not even com.
lortable rs his wife. This state of things
must not be endured il it could be cured.
So he asked her frankly what was the
matter, at the same time telling her that
above all things he wished to promote
her happiness.
Then she answered frankly: You
know that before our marriage | collect.
cd my own dividends, and the money ]
had was my own, to use as ] chose, and
il was all needed. Since We were
married you collect my income, and /
mover have cent for any purpose. ex-
cspt when ask you for il. 1t seems 10
me that if you cared for me in the least,
you could not subject me to such humilia-
tion. Look at these slippers; | have
worn them beyond all decent use, be-
cause could not ask for the money nee.
esssry to buy new ones. | feel ita deg
radiation, just as you would, il you were
in my place.
Gould you endure it, if | had the
money, and you had none, only as you
got it by asking me for it used to
teach six hours, and bad the whole re-
naming day for my pleasure. Now all
my time is occupied; l have neither
money nor leisure. and l feel just like a
pauper or bsggsr, and | wish | were
dead" Then she burst into tears, and
cried as though her heart would break.
With an immense sense OF relief, he
asked: "Is that all ?"
"All !" said she, "it is enough to Kill
any woman"
The dreadful fear that she had ceased
to love him, or that she loved somo one
else, fed The whole matter was talked
over with the largest freedom, until the
husband said he seemed to himself to
have been unspsakably mean.
"To think" said he. "that l had ever
offered her just the twenty cent which
she said she needed to buy pins, or the
six cents necessary for shoe strings, and
had not once thought that she must need
more for other things, while all her time
WAS devoted to maks comfortable home
for me y AS aresult of the explanation, 4
the husband every week put sum OF