The Northern Pacific farmer., 1882-10-05
A Hardship OfMarriago.
Colonel Il. w. lligSinson in the Woman's
| Journal

Colonel Il. W. llig5nson in the Woman's
Journal.
We are constantly told that the life
work of u wife is rs arduOus and as alb
Sorbing as that of her husband. We are
told that if she does her duty to her
family. she can have no time to study
metaphysics or to put a slip Of paper ill.,
to a ballot box. think it WAS the con-
Servutive DR.. Edward II. Clarke who
declared that the duties of the mother
of q family required as much toll OF
brain and body as those Of the captain
ofa ship. Grant it ALL grant that she
works rs hard us her husband does. If
50, the inference is irresistible that she
earns her share Of the family income.
The fact he receives the money and
pays the bills makes him the treasurer
of the family, that is all; and he has no
more right than any other treasurer to
take airs upon himself and talk non
sense. When he pays out money to
her, it is not as a 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
am told, actresses and women who sing
in public, support their families, incluic,
i,ig their husbands. In our New Eng
land farming regions the wifes work is
not only Us hard rs the husbands, but
4 considerable share Of the direct money
getting comes upon her. For farming in
New England, while yielding a comfort
able support, yields but little in the form
OF money, 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 board
ers. In a farmhouse near my summer
abode, u cook is hired at four dollars Il
week, while the boarding lasts, and
Il second girl' at three dollars and
q half. In another farm house near by,
the young wife of the farmer does all
this work herself, with the assistance of
Il little girl Of twelve; and she does it as
well and for nearly as many boarders
Considering merely the wages she saves,
her work is worth nearly dollar a day;
the establishment, it is probably worth
three times that Yet probably the pay
:urnt is made through her husband Us
treasurer, and whatever money she
spends would be regarded by the ncisl-
hpls us "given" her by him. And ii the
Farm is paid for by their joint uccunl'1la-
lions, the neiShbors would consider
and indeed the law would assu,nc-thut
it was paid for by him.
I am perfectly willing to admit that in
the majority of cases this whole matter
settles itself; but there is I, large minori-
~ Of cases where the wife is kept, dur
ing her whole life, in false position
from /. false theory of treasurcrship.
There are no doubt cases where man
earns q great fortune, while his wife's
existence is that Of {; butterfly These
':.,>'"; are rare; taking one family with
another, the wife works as hard as the
husband; and the fact that his share in
wolves the handling Of the money does not
make it his money. 1t belongs to both,
ani what lie pays over to her is not d
::iit but a right. ''This VAS present 10
me from my wife," said q rich man
showing an ornament. tfBought with
Your moneys" said a friend jocosely.
"No" said he, "out Of her own hard
earnings. She keeps house for a man Of
your acquaintanceH