Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-02-20
A Plea for Deserving wives.

nuSDands generosity LOT every nVe
cents they have to spend. The
idea Of husband being generous
to his wife is quite as absurd as it
would be for any other business
partner to be. generous to his as
sociate. A widower with IA house
full Of children has to pay gOOd
round sum to some hOuse.keepcr
for attending to the same duties
his wife performed for her salary,
nor ask her what she did with all
that money he gave her last month,
nor inquire in an aggrieyed tone of
voice if $50 won't do instead of
$40. NO, shs has earned her money,
he respects her right to it, and
pays like a man. When his wife
was hOuse-keeper he paid her like
a husband. 1t is true he gave her
liberal credits at dry goods shops,
millners and dress.makers. These
privileges constituted his ideas of
feminine bliss. What need had
she Of money Such a thing as
giving her, or rather sharing with
her, a portion Of the product of his
labors as one of the domestic firm
never occurred to him. He was
quite willing to trust her to keep
the honor Of his home and name (;
to raise his children ; but a doubt
as to her business incapacity never
crossed his mind. That she would
foolishly waste money if she could
get hold Of it was fOregone con
clusIOn, although for years she had
managed his home, and with un-
exampled economy he is able to ap-
preciate since she is dead.
It's not an uncommon thing for
a woman to have to worry her hus-
band for ten cents for car fare to
take her to church. When you see
a woman carry her pocket money,
dime or so, tucked in the palm Of
her glove. you may conclude she has
husband of this description. For
% proud.spirited, naturally indie
pendent woman to have to beg,
bargain and haggle for a few dol
lars from her husband is one OF the
most degrading misfortunes that
can befall her. 1t is true some
women do not mind begging for
money or the having to explain IN
elaborate detail the why and where
fore Of the demand; and other wO.
men look at the partnership busi'
ness in still broader view, and do
not hesitate to apply for that which
is so manfestly their due; but op'
posed to these there is n large ma
iority Of wives to whom it is an
eternal modification to ask, day
after day, year after year, for
money from their own husbands.
A friend of mine who has been
married forty years has to hurry
every morning after her husband
as he leaves the dinnIng-room to
try and get from him money for
the dinners marketing. This has
been going on during all those
years, and if by any chance she
should fail to run after him, he
would quietly march of down
town and not leave a cent. 1t
often takes the greatest tact,
courage, patience and gentleness
to coax from him sufficient money
to buy for herself or the children
the clothes demanded by the Gus.
toms of decency and civilization
1t is not possible that woman,
however forgiying, can feel al
together unresentful toward such a
man. Down in her lonely heart of
hearts she feels the indignity put
upon her. 1t is all very well to
argue that if a woman has credit
at the stores-and can buy clothes,
shoes, hats, wraps she has no
need for money. Those who argue
this should just try dose of such
treatment themselves. Why need
a body live il once in while they
NAV not have the innocent pleasure
of indulging in a book or magazine,
a bit of chinavare, a useless odd or
end that will wear its welcome out
maybe, but that is so tempting to
buy. A man may be a miser, but
he doesn't feel the need of it be-
cause he has in his pocket money
which he can just take out and
spend for cigars, an orange, lunch,
soda water or the papers. He is
not like the woman who, if sho
wants to spend fifty cents on her
self, has to run to her husband and
ask him as n great favor and piece
of generosity to give her the pitiful
sum.
The young wife who has the
courage to demand, at the beginning
of her married lite, weekly or
monthly allowance OF money
which shall be proportionate to her
husbands income, may be saving
herself from a lifetime Of misery.
Any woman who submits to the
charity .ystcm-the board, lodging
and clothing plan-is al much to
be blamed as she is to be pitied.