The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-06-13
The Wife as a Financial Help-Meet.

The Wife as Financial Help.Meet.
MANY women are extravagant, sbsurdly
and thoughtlessly 30. and ruin their hus-
bands financially. Many men are misery
and mean, thoughtlessly SO, absurdly and
unwisely so, and destroy not only their
wives happiness, but their own also. All
this arises from lack of perfect trust in
each other. 1t is taken for granted that
the wife is incapable of correct reasoning
or good Judgment in the use of money,
and instead of finding valuable sympa-
thizar and help-meet in this respect, the
husband so treats her that she soon needs
all her reasoning, and wit, too, to get
enough money from her husband for her
personal expenses. His business is to win
it from the world, and hers to get it from
him. There are some cases where one or
the O. her of the parties-sometimes the
woman, and oftener the man-does not
seem capable of using really good judy
ment in regard to money matters. 10
general the woman is apt to use as good
jungment as the man, and instead OF
being compelled, to employ all her reason
ing faculties in coaxing" it from her
husband, she ought to be encouraged to
put them to better use, as she would, If
he would give her chance. If he would
consult her, and above all things encour-
age her to use her judgment, and confer
with her in regard to whatever concerned
both, he would be richer man, and she
a happier woman. 1t is humiliating to a
woman of any spirit to be obliged to beg
for every cent, and then have it doled out
to her as if she was sure to use it fool
ishly, if not curbed and checked. And
the most fond and loving of husbands
often do this very thing. They do it, not
realizing how much they lose in not max
ing true confdant and help-meet of the
wife. The wife, on the other hand, feels
hurt and belittled, and not being allowed
to use for herself her reasoning faculties
or her own judgment, gradually settles
down to such state OF things, and en-
dures it only because she sees no way out
of it, She dislikes to say to her husband
in so many words, Why do you not
trust to my Judgment ?" She fears ne
would misunderstood her and think she
was setting up her own Judgment against
his, and so she plo1s on day after day in
the old grooves, and her husband thought
lessly does the same. 1t is pity that
she could not contrive some way of put
ting him in her place for a few weeks that
he might have his eyes opened. Little
Mrs. Gray did this, and late number OF
Peterson's tells us with what success
The young husband and wife had just
risen from a nicely spread table, and the
room was neatly and tastefully furnished
There was no indication of poverty
there, yet Mrs Gray's voice and manner
were faltering as she asked for some post
age stamps.
How any?" asked her husband,
curly.
"Three will do. thought would
write to mother and the girls
"Did you ever reckon up, my dear, how
much you spend for postage stamps in
the course of year ?" asked Mr.. Gray,
IS he lit his fragrant cigar. "Well, let
us see. You write at least five letters a
week, which is fifteen cents, and ffty-two
times fifteen are seven dollars and eighty
cents year, to say nothing of paper and
envelopes. | havn't correspondent in
the world, outside my business"
"Your friends" said the wife, "live
near you, while mine are in another state
Do you wish me to give up writing to
them ?" And her face took on an extra
tinge of color.
"By no means. merely mentioned
the cost of the thing. But must 60.
Good bye"
albert !" she said, timidly.
Mr.. Gray turned back.
8" Can you leave me five or six dollars
| want to go down town to-day"
"Five or six dollars !" exclaimed Mr..
Gray in establishment. "What on earth
can you want with five or six dollars p
&C. knew you would wonder, but | have
needed some money for long time to get
some necessary articles"
+" | gave you two dollars last week"
4" | know it, and used it for materials
to work up for our church fair"
"Church fi1dlesticks !" said Mr.. Gray
contemptuously. "Why, dan't see what
you need with five or six dollars"
" Here is a list of what | need" said
Mrs; Gray, handing little slip of paper to
her husband:
0ne Paiir NJ gloves ;! OO
que phir " aippers... .......,...... 90
One par Vi baloIlggan nose ................... 40
iiesa -
SiePo NC Ase'' Oh
Total az "a