Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-04-26
to make their presence pleasure
rathor than the nuisance it il in some

to make their presence = pleasure
rather than the nuisance it is in some
homes.
Even the busiest women. by little
plotting. can snatch five or ten minutes
during the day in which to glance at
the daily paper, and learn enough of
the progress of events to be able to
converse knowingly with her husband
upon current topics. If she learns
only enough to render it possible for
her to make intelligent inquiries. and
stimulate her husband into giving her
a fuller version of the news she has
only caught an inkling OF. SO much the
better. The average man is never
more happy than when in the position
of enlightening some one who receives
gladly the words of wisdom that fall
from his lips.
When the tea-tabic is cleared. and
the husband and wife settle down for
the evening. the pleasantest part of
the day should be just begun. Few
Benedlcts are so exacting as one young
husband who protested a rooted aver
sion to seeing his wife sew, and who
never permitted her to keep her fingers
busy while he was present. Most men
like the pretty domestic picture a
woman makes when she is at work
making or repairing little garments. or
indulging in rare bit of fancy work.
If Benedict is fond of reading aloud
a great point is gained. The even
ings can hardly be other than delight
full when the husband reads an enter
tanning book and the wife listens
while she works. But even without
this there may be bright talks on
pleasant subjects. When the true
nature of the home is realized-the
fact appreciated that it is a partner
ship in which the interests of the firm
are identical-there is no danger of
lack of themes for conversation. The
husband has his business experiences
to retail, the wife the droll or interest
ing episodes of her day. Unless I'M
avoidable. let her snare Benedict the
recital of her servants tiffs and mis-
deeds and show the bri lighter side of
home life to the tired man.
The question of smoking is some
times bone of contention between
otherwise harmonious couples. Care
full housewives protest against having
their carpets and curtains tainted with
the odor of tobacco. and Benedict has
to take his cigar or pipe to the porch.
or seek pleasanter but less safe quar-
tiers. Here, again, is where the sacri-
fee of the woman's personal prefer
ences must be made. 1t is better to
run the risk of sacrificing the fresh
ness Of carpets and hangings than to
let Benedict feel that, in order to en-
joy his pet luxury, he must quit his own
fireside.
Let it be remarked, in passing, that
when a room is thoroughly aired every
day and the curtains are we'll shaken
there is little trouble from stale to-
bacco smoke. In some homes where
evening smoking is the rule there re-
mains no trace of it after the rooms
have had fifteen minutes airing. An
open fireplace is a great aid in ventil-
alton.
Above all, the wife should shrink
from the risk of belittling herself in
her husbands eyes by yielding to
peevishness, petulance or tears over
trifles. The glamor of young love
wears off easily enough at the best.
Let Beatrice strive to keep herself
beautiful in Benedict's eyes by growing
loneliness of character that lasts when
the mere outward prettinesses Of
youth have disappeared. = Christine
Ierhune Herrick. in Harper's Bazaar.