The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-08-04

phrase and the veneer of good breed
ing. But intimate acquaintance dis
closes his lack of principle. his
absence of generosity, his want OF
faith in his fellows. He may be,
probably is a husband and father;
but his habitual mode of re erring to
women is with a sneer. He obviously
divides them into fools and rogues,
though he thinks fools make the
better wives, and indicates that he
speaks from experience. If he seeks
to be gracious to the sex, his air OF
condescension and patronage is more
intolerable than his cynicism. 1t is
clear that he is innocent of the least
approach to companionship with
women-to women's S credit be it said
that he despises it thoroughly.
They may amuse, distract, or delight
for while; they may help to smother
heavy hour gracefully; but, beyond
that, they are tedious and depressing
Who would think of passing an even
ing with them, when billiards, draw
poke, or brandy-and-soda, with too
sapid stories inter laced, are easy of
access? They are excellent when a
man is i'll, or out of sorts, or needs
coddling; but when he is well. or in
good spirits, or eager for pleasure,
they are drag upon him. They
have so many trifes to look after;
they enjoy being fussy in such va
riety of ways that they ke to be lett
to themselves. This, or a similar
opinion, man is SO fond of expressing,
that it may be infe' red to be an argu-
ment to himself to palllate habitual
neglect
Who is not acquainted with num-
Der of such men, heedlessly accounted
faithful husbands and kind fathers,
who would be surprised and indig
nant at any intimation to the contrary?
Society abounds in them; they are
cited as prominent and influential
citizen; they sign calls for public
meetings in the interest OF divers
social and political reforms; they are
supposed to be part of the founda-
ton on which the republic rests. 1t
never seems 10 occur to them that
companionship has any relation to
domesticity, is wo tn cultivating.
They provide literally for the house
hold; they are polite to their wives;
they are indulgent to their children;
but they cannot, they say, be tied to
the uxorial garter. Companionship
must be sought with men, who have
wider experience. better minds,
amPler opportunities, who are not
nervous, fdgety, rambling, immersed
in trihes. There may a be foundation
for such charges, but is it not because
women are thrown upon themselves
and one another, confined to their
narrow round, shut out from the
larger life their husbands lead? How
can they be companionable to men,
when men never try to prepare them
tor comPanionship? This striking
incongruity is significant of mascu-
line logic in regard to gynecian sub
jects
Most men furtively laugh and grid
at those who are addicted to feminine
society; who find solid satisfaction in
1t; who are courageous enough to
av0w their appreciation of its benefits.
They are wont to speak of them in
the disdalnful way that urchins speak
of girl-hoys; to deride them as effe-
inmate. weak minded. danglers after
pettlcoats, Miss Nancyish. One Of
their severest epithets, applied to
husbands, is hen-pecked, which is
easily said and more easily believed.
Men who are not strong have terror
OF the adjective, and actually cover
before it. They are often SO afraid Of
merit ng the reproach that they go to
the opposite extreme, and become
brutal which probably impresses
them as far manlier. Dread of ridi-
cule has frequently prevented amiable
but weak men from establishing COM
panionship with their wives, who were
really companiOnable.
Far more husbands than bachelors
are members of clubs, and they are reg
ular frequenters. Some of them, having
lovely wives and delightful homes, are
to be seen nightly in the reading rooms
card rooms, bar-rooms, giving the i'm
preston that they are inharmoniously
welded. But they are not. They are
representative; they fail, or think they
fail, to find companionship within their
own walls, and look for it in what is
ordinarily, to cultured, refined mind,
the dullest, drearIest place in civilization
The fact that they take refuge in club
denotes how deeply bored they must
be at home, and what miserable com
pany they must be to themselves. Sent-
mental bachelors, seeing them there,
say, "How can they prefer this to
that? ?" 81 should be SO different in
the same circumstances. But, were
the situations reversed, they would show
the same strange taste. They might be
fond, they might become enamored of
the neglected wife ; but reaction would
occur in due time, and render COM
panionship impossible. Men can not
understand why it should be so in the
case of others but it is clear enough
in their own.
There would seem to be some justi-
ficatlon for the biting phrases current
at the clubs: