Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-17
THE MONEY QUESTION.

THE MONEY QUESTION.
One Of the Most Imporeant Factors N Do
NESTLE Happiness.
Whatever it may be matrimony 10
not an idyllic state with conditions of
its own. governed by peculiar laws In
the period of courtship there are illu-
sions which the prosaic. everyday
companionship destined to succeed 1t
must dispel The young woman who
was idealized and dwelt in delightful
atmosphere of mystery is transformed
into a flesh and blood woman, more or
less ordinary. The lover, as a hus-
band. is destined to lose much of the
romantic and heroic with which an
ardent Imagination invested him. The
failure or success of marriage depends
upon the character which must stand
this test of establishments The
pretty compliments of courtship cease
to be the common vernacular; and with
them will cease attentions which will
be deemed superiuous. In cOmpensa-
ton. however, there should be full
er sympathy, trust and confidence:
with abiding patience. which. as Por-
tia defines mercy, sis twice blessed: 1t
blesseth him that gives and him that
takes
And with these there should be
equality. absolute and entire: equality
in authority and in responsibility.
Children should understand that the
word of the mother as we'll as that of
the father is law; that her judgment
must be equally respected and her
opinions and wishes equally regarded.
Where her financial position in the
family is as irresponsible as their own
she can not be all that she might and
should be to her children.
There is no doubt that much marital
| unhappiness springs from the fact that
newly-married women are practically
paupers. They may live in fine houses,
dress well, drive in their carriages. be
waited upon by servants and yet have
not. in the course of a year. fifty dol
lars to spend as they like, and without
rigidly accounting for every item.
There are men who will pay an extrav-
agant dry goods or dress-maker's bill
without murmur, and who, for some
unaccountable reason. dole out mig
gardly stipend in a way that must be
painfully humiliating to any woman
with a grain of self-respect
There is. of course. the exceptional
| husband, who realizes that his sue
cess and prosperity have been as much
due to the economy and industry of his
| wife as to his own energy and perse-
L W;<h l.;
| is an equal division of the rewards.
The wife has her own bank book and
| her drafts are honored without Ques-
ton upon presentation.
Many urge that their wives. through
their ignorance, are not fit to be
trusted with money, confession that
any intelligent man should be ashamed
| to make, and condition for which he
is measurably responsible. If she does
not know the value of money he should
enlighten her, and then trust her I'M
/ reservedly with its expenditure.
| Although feminine extravaganza
has been prolific theme of discus
sion, it will be found. upon close scru-
tiny. that most of the economizing in
| the home is done by women. Food is
saved, servants are dispensed with,
| dresses are made over, bonnets and
hats retrimmed, where the husband
! sees no necessity for denying himself
! any thing he may happen to fancy.
Furthermore, much of the foolish
and heartless extravaganza of women
| springs from absolute ignorance of the
| husbands financial condition. Where
| naturally sensible women are exact
ing and unreasonable they would be
forbearing and self-denying if they but
knew the real situa tion.
Thousands of married women to-
day-and the number will increase in
the future-have been self-supporting.
They relinquished good salaries and
financial independence when they be-
came wives. To such dependence can
| only be intolerable. Having once
known what the earning and disposal
of money is, they can never accept
radically altered conditions as those
can and do who have always been PEN
sioners upon the bounty of fathers
and brothers. This practical age de-
mands that the poetical sentiment,
1.-TWO souls with but single thought.
two hearts that beat as one," be sup
| plemented by Zone matrimonial part
nership with a single bank account"
| Perfect happiness and confidence are
not possible Chicago Inter
| Ocean.
The Psalms of David.