The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-02
A MODEL HUSBAND.


Hon. Will Cumback last night delivered the
closing lecture in the Y. NJ. c. A. course before
to hlargest audience that has attended any of
the number. In introducing the lecturer E.
w. Hslford recited some of the embarrassments
which had attended the course just closed, it
being the frat time it had ever been attempted
In this city. 1t had. however, succeeded better
than was anticipated, and nsxt year 1t would be
conducted under more favo :able auspices. he
thought that Mr.. Cumback's lecture would be a
fitting finale to the course.
The lecture which followed was one Of rare
wit and decided interest The audience was
kept in an almost continual roar. Mr.. Cumback
did not seem altogether sincere in his eulogy Of
the average husband as compared with the av-
erAge wife, but as he progressed further he left
the impression that ne was genuinely sincere In
deprecatipg the custom Of continually adulating
woman and saying so little of the virtues of
man. His lecture. as be stated at the outset,
was the result of his listening to
an address by the eloquent DR..
wille.,s on the 'Model Wife" After hearing DR..
willett's beautiful tribute to the other sex he
waited very patiently, for some generous WON
an 10 deliver an address showing the virtues OF
the model husband. Finding that none OF them
responded he prepared this one and offered 1t to
some Of the best known women orators In the
land, saying be thought it would be much moro
effective IL delivered by them. They all de-
clined with emphasis. He had also offered it to
some of the leading woman suffrage
journals In the country. but there had
met with no better success. This in
dicated that the women did not propose
to give the men any tafy until the men gave
them the ballot. The speaker thought his sex
had not received justice. From time immemorial
man had cut no hguIe In poetry and had been
comparatively Insignificant In romance. He
quoted a few specimens OF poetry to show how
woman had been fattered adding that there
were thousands Of just such specimens in the
production Of the last century. He then re-
minded the .ladies that a great many OF the
poets OF the world had been accustomed to
spend great deal of their time about ''tavsrns'
and were anything but sound the
temperance question" great many of them.
while singing the praises and beauties Of women,
continued TO make their wives get up and build
the fires In romance the advanced place as
signed to women was just as noticeable, and on
the stage 1t was the woman who always attract
ed the chief attention as the star. The speaker
thought that all this was due to the back ward.
he. "when ! think that in our innate sense of
modestv we have allowed this state OF things to
come about"
One heard SO much talk about woman's love
that he would be justified in thinking that she
had corner" on human affections. he felt
that he must lift up his voice against that injus-
tice but allowed it was like man crying in the
wilderness II had become customary to blame
mankind for all the sin of the world. Even the
sin committed by Eve in the Garden Of Eden
had been laid By some at Adams door, for there
was familiar old couples which ran
In Adams fall
We sinned all.
He never read III couplet without becoming
indignant He thought that the truth of the
story demanded chat il should be revised some
thing after this fashion:
Twas Eve who FIRST ett It.
And don't you forget IT,
The Office of the husband was difficult one
piece of testimony which tho speaker thought
| some of the bald headed men in his audience
would corroborate. Nevertheless, nearly all
| young mon appeared anxious to run for the Of
fee. and some old men were to be running for the
third, fourth and even fifth terms Before he got
| into Office the young man had very limited
| idea of the troubles that awaited him. But after
| he was In he was not long in finding ont. A GER
| tain old Irshman and his wife. who we're accus.
| day had one Of unusual vieiousnsss, and after
they were through the wife looked out of the
| window and observed tie cat aud dog playing
| together in the yard.
Look" said she. 'how them two brutes are
| without fghtin'."
swell, jst tie their tails togither and you'll
| see the fur fly" was Pats sage reply.
The speaker then proceeded Ia half serious.
| half jocose manner TO show how many wives
| there were who made home miserable by their
complainiugs and how many husbands were
| compelled to come home at night tired out with
! their days work and cheer up the children
| from the respondent influence cast over them by
| the wife. A happy home was the basis of civ.
| ilizaton. and over the door of every homo there
| ought to be written: Let no one who worries
enter heren