The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-09
Managing a Husband.


to me, writes an observing Southernerp
and one that still remains so after much
thought and study on the subject, is just
how some women do manage husband
so charmingly, while others make such
doleful failures. was visitor on one
occasion in certain household where
the man of the house was not an object
of the least solicitude on the part of any
member of the family; in fact, he was
simply tolerated as a sort of draft-horse
to keep the family machinery moving
The impression seemed to peryade the
minds of wife and children that he stay
ed downtown all day having a good
time" telling stories and having innu-
Eerable '.nips" with that mysterious
''other man. and that the hard, dull
routine of business was the last thing he
ever troubled himself about. | used to
feel really sorry for him when he would
come home at night with such care
worn and troubled look on his face, for
knew only too we'll what an exacting
wife he had, who literally kept his nose
10 the grindstone She would eve him
suspiciously, aud in harsh, fretful
voice ask him "why he did not come
home sooner" and then would com
mence such a series of questioning and
such a regular siege of systematic nag
ging tkat if | had been a man and in his
place it would have driven me out of the
house Not a bit Of it. This wife knew
her man, and ne man was used to this
sort of "homs rule" the one object of
his life being to keep peace in the fam
iiv. Instead of reading the riot act to
Ais ,i0mestic tvr3nt ana asserting his
alth9HLy, as I nave seen other men do
lnder similar circumstances, he was one
Of the most amiable of husbands and
complied with every demand of his wife
with the most loving submission. What
is strong meat to one would be poison to
another, and | would not advise you to
try this walkover system until other
means have failed.
Some men love to be petted and
praised, and if they don't get it at home
they are pretty apt to seek it elsewhere.
All the crying and scolding you can
do will not 'keep them in at night. .
They are jolly and jovial in disposition,
and love good company and congenial
companionship, and the world is fall of
just such ''jolly fellows" and if the
unter-attractions of home and fire side
are BuL DElSHitI anu bGbttl IIdi lutN
can find outside, the lesser attractions
will go to the wall These are the sort
of men who have been used to the gen
tie, tender ways of loving mothers
mothers who used 10 look at them with
fond, appreclstive eyes which even the
film of death can never blot from their
memory, who had always kind words of
welcome, to whom they could always
take their boyish cares, disappointm ents,
and aspirations, feeling assured of that
sympathy which was ever alive and re-
sponsive, kindling flame of love that
frightened every shadow of their boy
hood days.
There are any number of men, espe
cially among the soft-hearted of their
sex, who dearly love to be managed
They glory in hearing the persuading
voice in their ears and to feel loving
arms around their necks. A petition
supplemented by glowing tenderness, al
though the object of the caresses
may be we'll understood, will be granted
before it assumes shape in words. They
take pride in their quietness, enjoying
the situation immensely, from the very
consciousness of their supremacy. Be-
ing masters of the situation, they OBJ
serve with inward amusement the little
artifices and wire pulling of the fair
| diplomats and pardon chem for the mere
pleasure it gives them of yielding.
They never lose sight of the fact, how
ever, that if necessity required it they
| could kick over the traces and smash
| the whole eqnipage into Thousand
splinters" Woe be unto the woman
who loses sight of this fact herself by
| this seeming go-as you please pace to be
betrayed into drawing the reins too
| tightly and rendering these Samsons
! restive, and force them to the conclu-
sion that they have been too induIgent
aud that it was about time ''to put a
stop to all this sort of thing"
When 10 draw a line requires the
most discriminating judgment on the
part of a wife on all matters pertaining
| TO domestic bliss. Men are perverse an-
imals at best, and are dreadfully Jealous
of their prerogatives as lords of creation
and being the head OF at least their
| family, when they know their power is
recognized and properly acknowledged
in the household, they seldom feel there
| is any occasion TO rise up in their
strength and assert their authority
There are many stupid husbands who
10 not know they are being managed,
aud many clever women who make their
husbands believe they are the most sub
nissive OF wives, gaining control of
them without once farming or wound
ing their self.respect or vanity, making
them think the way they are being led
is just the way they had planned; but
believe, after all, the best advice / can
give you, my fair bride, is the same as q
wise woman once said to her only mar.
ried daughter: "Give your husband hi:
own way for twelve months aud you
will have yours for the rest of your
| lifen