The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-12-12
The Wife's Part Of Life Partnership.

If the wife works as hard as the hus-
band, is she not entitled TO her fair
wage, not as favor, but as earnings !
BY the conditions of the equal partner
ship it is usually the husband who
brings the money into the concern. He
Is free to do this because his wife as
sumes that care of house and house
hold which leaves him time, brain,
and hands for rcmunerative labor But
his handling of the money does not
vest its ownership in him. 1t is his
in trust for the family needs, of which
her personal wants are part.
Usually the wife works harder than
the husband, because his business is
simple, and hers complex. The old
dictum that q mans work is from sun
to sun, but woman's work is never
done, is as true now as in the days
when she planted the seed, and weeded
the ground, and spun the fax, and
wove the linen, and made the garment.
Thousands of cultivated women iu
America do the work of house ser
wants, regularly, cheerfuily, admirably,
because they must, though their hus-
bands would Ger ainly not consent to a
corresponding drudgery for economy's
sake. Are washing and ironing,
sweeping and dusting, baking, baby
tending, sewing on the machine,
kneading bread, cutting out night
gowns and knickbockers, hearing lit
tie lessons, enlightenlng little brains,
and comforting little hearts-are these
such airy pastimes as to be their own
reward ? Are they not worth wages as
certainly as standing behind counter,
or keeping books, or following a trade?
But no Saturday night Or last day in
the month brings her stipend to the
woman, as to the man for whom she
labors. He buys his stores and pays
for them with sense of manly indie.
pcndence she receives hers as favor
and kindness from him.
Wives who have servants do not the
less earn their living. All the thought
and care which make the housekeeping
both economical and elegant, the end
less struggles with ignorance and in
competency below them, the grace and
culture and refinement whicn turn a
mere cook-shop, feeding-place, and
dormiiory into a nome, the possibility
If hospitality, tn wise nurture of
children, the beauty of the daily life,
depend on the wife But men who are
liberal In their dealings with their fel.
lows, prompt to pay servants wages,
proud TO owe no man anything, do
not recognize the money value of their
wives services, and bestow as a bounty
what is due ~ a debt.
1t is not good for either man or
wife that one should be Iht patron, the
other the beneficiary. 1t IL not good
that the treasurer of the partnership,
the trustee Of the funds, should con-
duct himself as if he were the owner.
Whatever portion Of the common in
come equitably belongs to the wife she
should br paid promptly and regu-
larly as wages, allowance, OF share,
nut always as right, not as tav
| Or
In many cases this matter settles it
self on basis Of justice. In many
others the whole married life of the
wife is passed in abasement Of spirit
because of her husbands substitution
of false theory of ownership for that
of stewardship. Ii is true, of course, that
there is a sentiment in marriage which
rates the services of y wife above a
mere money value. But this is an ad
ditioual reason why they should al
least be acknowledged in money. And
higher civilization than ours will bt
amazed that the right of the wife tc
her own purse should ever have seem
ed question to be argued.-Harper''
Bdzdr.