Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-02-16
Asking for Money.

There is a time in every pure high
souled woman's existence, when her
whole spirit revolts against necessity
which compels her TO speak. 1t is the
moment when for the first time she is
obliged TO ask her husband for money.
Ii his thoughtful love, and kindness
have provided her purse for weeks with
a sufficiency, the hour will inevitably
come when by some neglect or oversight
she is left without any at all. How long
she will go without it. How she will
plan and arrange to make something
she possesses answer her need. How.
as day after day passes, and the accus-
toned courtesy is forgotten, she grows
more desperate as she is pressed by the
thousand and one trifies which she can
not wisely do without. At last she
makes up her mind to speak. She argues
with herself: Il need not fear 4 refu-
sal. He will rather make excuses for
forgetfulness- He will be perfectly
willing, | know. He does not know
have been so embarrassed. He would
feel hurt if L did not tell him. | will
ask him-but oh, | can't, 1 cant -
She finally is driven to it. With flushed
cheeks and brilliant light in her ewes,
hitl Hslli lfuliu, lilt
delicate, keen stabs of her thoughts
pricking her, she half demands, half
pleads for the great divider of loving
men and women-money. True gentle
man, If you knew what that request
cost you would never compel the woman
you love TO humble her pride so again.
For the feeling never dies out. We
have heard women of all ages, and who
have been married more or less num-
bers of years, declare, over and again,
that the hardest thing to bear, in their
whole married life, was the being
obliged continually to ask for money.
If man does not voluntarily supply
the necessary demands o her purse what
is wife to do? She must ask. We do
not mean TO say that husband should
provide his wife with amounts beyond
his means; or if she is naturally extrav-
agant, that he should make no sign. Ii
is not the amount of the allowance at
all. Ii is the manner in which il is
placed at her disposal. We will warrant
that two thirds of the women in this
city would agree to receive one third
less than they annually spend, if it
might only come TO them regularly in
the form of an allowance upon which
they could draw as upon a bank, and
''no questions asked" The mortifica-
ton is keen enough when a husband
acknowledges his wife's right to cer-
tain portion of his income, but still
Obliges her to mention from day to day
the extent of her necessities or desires;
when he adds fault finding, questioning
and refusal, he plants rebellion upon
his hearthstone. Nothing kills out love
so quickly as the bitterness of injustice
and modification. Sir, you are taking
care of your fathers estate, with merely
a tacit understanding that you are of
service and indispensable to his interests
and without a settled agreement be-
tween you. Would it not be extremely
disagreeable to be obliged to ask him
every day or week for what you require
for personal expenditure? So it is with
your wife. Just think about it mo-
ment. Now that your kindly heart
has perceived her position, and your
just and generous qualities have led
you TO look deeply into the fine, woman