The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-05-30
Equality in the Home.

New Nerthwest.I
Financial troubles and business reverses
frequently render retrenchment in current
expenditures necessary, even .by familie
that are reputed to be in good circumstances,
and il is noteworthy fact that. in looking
about for little leaks that may be stopped,
the husbands gaze is usually directed toward
his wife's department. He notes numerous
little adjuncts to her toilet that may, in his
judgment, be dispensed with, and his sugges-
tions to that effect generally meet quiet &C.
quiescence. He sees that sundry utensils in
common use in the kitchen and other parts
of the house are getting considerably the
worse for wear, but suavely intimates that
they can be made to last another year. and
the hint is usually taken. He finds that the
reading matter for the household NAV be
somewhat reduced, and he promptly sends
the publisher postal card ordering his
wife's one paper discontinued, but allows the
half dozen publications that he admires to
come on uninterrupted. In short with pure
human nature, he first starts an investigation
to learn what. his wife and family can do
without, and generally makes his researches
so successful that il is unnecessary for him to
examine his own comforts and habits with
view to Stopping off, little twigs of expendi-
ture that draw their sustenance from his
purse.
Again, when husband and wife are coun-
ting upon the purchase of various articles or
the indulgence of pleasures, and circumstan-
ces become such that the wishes of both can
not be grstified, how natural il is for him to
think the matters on which she has set her
heart are of no great conse-
quence. He may want some new invention
to Tighten his labors or increase the amount
Of work he can do, and she, for a similar
reason, may desire a sewing machine; but
he will think the article he wishes is of
much more importance than the one she
wants, though both have al their lives sue
ceeded in getting along without the things
in question.
This readiness of husband to curtsil his
wife's expenses is happily illustrated by
little story OF q chat between an old farmer
and passing traveller. A recital of it will
year for crops" but an exceedingly rough
one on the wife.
allows hay in this section?" asked the
traveller.
"Only medium, sir, 1 did intend to get
the old lady q fine dress this fall, but the
weather turned out so poorly that can't do
it."
"Wheat pretty good2"
0Nothing extra. 1 was going to get the
old woman a new cloak this fall, but 1 guess
she'll have to wear the old one another
year"
''Osts tol'sbly fsir2"
"Well, they won't begin to hold out. My
crop will fall short over hundred bushels
was going to get the old woman q new set
of teeth, but the way things look now rather
goes to show that she'll have to gum along
until next year."
Nouy NJ ,,loip 20 all
people that one person can complRcently
sacrifice the comforts of another, and we are
not prepared to say that, if the old farmers
wife was the purse-holder, she would DO any
better by him than he now does by her; but
we do say that, if the wife's rights In the
marriage partnership were recognized, she
would have her share of the community
funds to expend according to her judgment.
and if she wanted q new cloak or set of
teeth, she could make the purchase, just as
her husband could if he wants new pillow
or box of tobacco.
Equality should reign in the home at all
times, but never is there so much occasion
for 1t as during seasons Unnecessary expenses.
A husband may be generous to fault with
his family during prosperity; but In times
of financial stringeHcy, even though ne be
kind-hearted and have an abundance of the
good intentions with which the lower regions
are said to be paved, he is pretty sure TO in
nocently do his wife and children injustice
when he attempts to view their needs and
wants from his mans standpoint Every
husband ought to know that his wife is equal
ly interested with himself in living as mex
psnsively as possible during periods of finan-
cisl embarrassment, and that she will display
more wisdom and economy than himself in
managing the departments under her con-
troll because more familiar with their re-
quirements. He makes sad mistake when
he ignores this fact.
Answer This.