The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-02-19
mat Is DIE to a we.

One Of tho very best wives and mothers
! have ever known, once said to ne that
whenever her daughters should b married
she should sipuluie 10 their behalf with
their husbands for regular sum Of money
to 10 paid them, at certain Intervals, for
their personal expenditures Whether
this snm was to be larger or smaller was a
matter Of secondary inportabce-tbat must
depend on the income and style Of living
but the essential thing was that it must
come to The wife regularly, 80 that she
should no more lave to make special re-
quest for il than her husband would have
10 ask her for bis dinner This lady's
own husband was, as happen to know, Of
most generous disposition. was devotedly
attached to her. and denied Der nothing.
She herself was o most accurate aud
careful manager. There aaS everything
10 the household to make the financial or.
raugements aos smoothly. Yet she said
to nc: Il suppose no man eau possibly
understand bow a sensitive woman sbrinks
from asking for money. III can prevent
it, my daughters shall never have to ask
for il, lftbey do their duties as wives
and mothers, they have right to their
share Of the joipt income, within reasona.
bic limit; for certainly, no money could
buy the service they render Moreover,
they have right to share in dctrrmin.
ing what those reasonable limits are"
And fancy that those who feel It most
are often the most conscientious aud high
minded women. lri, unreasonable to say
of such persons, 100 sensitivc!' TOO
faStidious" For il is this very quality Of
finer scnsitivencss which men affect to
prize in woman, and wish to protect j! At
all hazards, The very fact that husband
is generous; The very fact that bis income
is limited; these may bring in conscience
and gratitude to increase the retaining in
fuenco Of pride, and make the wife less
willing 10 ask money Of such q husband
than il he we're n rich IMAM or o mean one
The only dignifcd position 10 which man
can place bis wife is to treat her ut least as
well as he would treat house keeper, and
give her the comfort of perfectly clear
and definite arrangement as to money mat.
tCrs. She will not then be under the ne
ceSsity Of ncrving herself to solicit from
him as favor what she really needs and
has q right TO spend. Nor will sue be
tOrturing herself, on the other side, with
the secret fear lest sbo has asked too much
and more than they can really spare -
She will, ia short, be in the position Of
woman aud wife, not Of child or toy
] have carefully avoided using the word
allowance" in what have said, because
that word seems to imply the untrue and
mean assumption that tile money is oil the
husbands to give or withhold as he will
Yet have heard this sort of talk from
mcn who were living on q wlIe's property,
or wrc's earnings; from men such rs
keepers Of boarding. houses, who worked
little while their wives worked hard, aud
from men such as farmers, who worked
hnrd aud their wives worked harder. Nv.
en- in cases where the wife has no direct
part 10 the moncy.making, tho indirect
part she performs, il she takes faithful
charge Of her household, is so essential,
so beyond all compensation in money, that
it is 90 utter shame and inpcrliucuce in
the husband whcuhe speaks Of giving"
money to bis wife as fit we're an not Of
favor 1t is no more an act Of favor than
when lhe business manager Of firm pays
out money to the unseen partner who d.
reefs the indoor business or runs the ma
chinery. BE the joint income more or less
the wife has claim to her honorable share,
and that, as a matter Of right, without the
daily ignominy of sending in petition for
it,