The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-10-06
A HARDSHIP OF MARRIAGE.
THE LIFE WORK OF A wIFE-rHE sEvERI
LABOR.

THE LIFE WORK or A WIFE-THE SEVERE
LABOR.
Colonel 7. W. HigginsOn in The FOHsra's
Journal, says We are constantly told tnat
the life-work OF a wife is as arduOus aud as
absorbing as that Of her husband. We are
told that if she does her duty TO her family,
she can have no time to study mstaphysic-
or to put a slip OF paper into the ballot box
I think it was the conservative DR. Edwari
H Clarke who declared that the duties Of =
/ mother Of a family required as much toll u-
/ brain and body as those Of the captain OF 5
| ship. Grant it all grant that she worA-s IS
/ hard US her husband does. II so, the infer
1 ence is irresistible that she earns her STARE
of the family income The fact that he re
ceives the money and pays the bills makes
him the treasurer of the family, that ls all
and he has no more right than any other
treasurer to take airs upon himself and talk
nonsense. When he pays out money 10 her.
it is not as gift but as earnings.
In many cases the money all came as her
dowry to begin with. In many other cases
she does her full share in the direct earning
of the income. As a rule, 1 Sm told, actress
es and women who sing In public support
their families, including their husbands. In
our New England farming regions the wife's
work is not only IS hard as the husbands
but considerable share of the direct money
getting comes upon her. For farming Ia
New England. while yielding comfortable
support, yields but little IN the form Of mon
ey and in many cases the greater part Of
the actual cash receipts during the summer
months comes through the energy Of the
wife in taking city bOarders. In farm
house near my summer abode, a cook is
hired at four dollars week, while the
boarding season lasts, and a ''second girl
az three dollars and a half. In smother
farmhouse near by. the young wife Of the
farmer does all this work herself. with the
assistance of little girl OF twelve; and she
does II as well and for nearly as many board
ers. Considering merely the wages sb7
saves, her work is worth nearly dollar =
day and considering the profits she arngs
TO the establishment. II Is worth prnDa eiT
three times that Yetpuo5ablv the pawn mt
Is generally made through her husband a.
treasurer, and whatever money she spends
would be regarded by the neignDors as
given her BY him. And u the farm D.
paid for by their Joint accumulatjOns. trs
neighbOrs would cOnsdsr-end indeed ue
law would assume-that il was paid fOf 1v
him, and belonged to him.
am perfectly willing to admit that in fAy
majority Of cases this whole matter ssttlsa
itself but there is a large minority Of css-s
where the wife is kept, during het whole
life In false position from laise tne1Ty ~
treasurersbip. There are no doubt cases
where a man earns great fortune, while
his wife's existence is that Of BUTTERFLY
These cases are rare taking one fami s.
with another, the wife works as hard as th-
husband and the fact that his share involves
the handling Of the money does not make o.
his money 1t belongs 70 both, and what h5
pays over to her is not a gift but natter ~
right. "This was a present to ne from rv
wife, said a rich man showing an ores
ment. Bought with your money 2' sali
friend jocnsely. "NOH' he Sail, ''Ou. 0f l--
own hard earnings She keeps house Tor
man Of your acquaintancs