The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-10
A WOman's Advice to Wives.

We hear much about the art of win
ming husband. Let us take step
further and make study out of keep
ing husband. If he is worth winning
he is worth keeping.
This is a wicked world. and man is
dreadfully mortal. Let us take him
Just as he is, not as he ought to be. In
the first place he is very weak. The
wife must spend the first two years in
discovering all these weaknesses, count
them on her fingers and learn them by
heart. The fingers of both hands will
up these weaknesses, with mesh for
every one, and the secret is hers. Is
he fond of a good dinnerp Let her
tighten the mesh around him with fra
grant coffee, light bread and good
things generally, and reach his heart
through his stomach. Is he fond of
fiattery about his looksP Let her study
the dictionary for sweet words, if her
supply gives out. Does he like to hear
her talk about his brilliant intellectp.
Let her pore over the encyclopedia to
give variety to the depth of her admira-
ton. Flattery is good thing to study
up at all hazards, in its delicate shades,
but it must be skillfully done. The
harpy who may try to coax him away
will not do it absurdly. Is he fond OF
beauty Here's the rub-let her be
bright and tidy; that is half the victory.
Next. let her bang her hair metaphor
ically and keep up with the times. A
husband who sees his wife look like
other people is not going to consider
hnr e =
common sheer that woman has ad-
mitted that her sex consider more, in
marrying, the tastes of her friends than
her own. yet it must not be considered
ludicrous that man looks at his wife
with the same eyes that other people
do Is he fond of literary mattersP
Listen to him with wide-open eyes
when he talks of them. A man doesn't
so much care for literary wife if only
she will be literary enough to appreci-
ate him. If she have literary inclina-
tions let her keep them to herself. Men
love to be big and great to their wives.
That's the reason why a helpless little
woman can marry three times to SEN
sible, self-reliant woman's none. Guilt
vate helplessness. Is he curiousP o,
then you have treasure; you can al
ways keep him if youhave a secret and
only keep it carefully. Is he Jealous?
Then, woman, this is not for you;
cease reading, cease torturing that
fretted heart which wants you for his
own, and teach him confidence. Is
he ugly in his temper and fault-fndingp
Give him dose of his own medicine,
skillfully done. Is he deceitful? Pity
him for his weakness. treat him as one
who is born with physical defect, but
put your wits to work-it is bad case.
1t is well not to be too tame. Men do
not waste their powder and shot on
hens and barn yard fowls; they like the
pleasure of pursuing wild game-quail
and grouse and deer. A quail is good
model for wife-neat and firm, with
pretty, swift way about it, and just a
little capricious. Never let yourself be-
come an old story; be just little un-
certain. Another important fact is,
don't be too good; it hurts his feeling
and becomes monotonous. Cultivate a
pleasant voice, SO that this very mortal
man may have the conscience prick him
when he is in jeopardy; its pleasant ring
| will haunt him much more than would
|
besides taking care of the babies and
looking after vexatious household cares
and smiling when he comes home, but
it seems necessary. ITO be born a
woman is to be born martyr" says a
husband who for ten years has watched
in amazement his wife treading the
wine-press of her existence. 1t is a
pitiful sight to some men. But if the
wife does not make a study of these
things the harpy will, to steal away the
honor from his silver hairs when he is
full of years and the father of sons and
daughters. At the same time, guide
wife, keep from trying any of these
things on any other mortal man but
your own. These rules are only evolved
to order to keep a husband" The
poor. weak creature would rather be
good than bad, and it is woman's duty
to hold him by every means in her
power. San Francisco ArgonaM.
| Cad Eynarinuan