The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-11-08
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The idea OF a woman being treated in her
W home, and by her own husband. as
though she were a romantic school girl. to
be watched by a yigilant master, and to
have her letters intercepted by him, who
may not give them to her at all fit should
best please him not to do so! 1t san insult
to a wife to be SO treated, and any woman
of spirit would resentft.
Yet there are no doubt men in our own
city even, who consider it their ~prerogative
to open their wives letter, but would raise
the roof if their wives should return the
compliment. I have never met one of this
kind and | hope | never will, but I am sure
they exist.
Such Superior lights - of husbands lead
US to sermonize a little.
What an unequal partnership is matri-
mony after all; both parties make the same
promises at the altar, yetonly one is expect
ed to keep them and that the weaker men,
Der. Most men seem to think that their
wives should have no opinions, friends or
interests other than theirs. Now it is all
folly to supposethat because a woman mar
ries she must give up her individuality.
her opinions, and her correspondence. She
still has a mind and a heart-no. not a
heart-that she gives to her husband, or is
supposed 10; and, by the way, she does not
promise him anything, while he bestows
all his worldly goods upon her, which of
course. must include his letters, while in
reality he takes hers and keeps his own.
Charles Dudley Warner, in replying to
the question, 'sCan a man open his wife's
letters p said that 1T would depend upon
what kind Of a husband he is. / think it
would be nearer right to say it would de-
pend upon what kind of a wife she is.
Discretion is the better part OF valor, as
many a husband would learn it he made so
bold as to open his wife's letters.
There is scarcely a wife who does not
take her husband sufficiently into her con-
hdence TO tell him who her letters are from
and to read them to him, or perhaps, let
him read them himself: but this is a very
different matter from having them first OPP
ened, read aud passed upon by one for whom
they were not intended. OF course many
women receive letters that never reach the
eyes of her life partner, not because they
contain aught that could not bear the light
OF day, not because the wife is afraid or
shamed 70 show them. but simply because
they contain things that are none of his al
fair. How often the home letters are writ
ten only for the daughters or sisters eyet
How much OF the cares can be told her sAat
would be proudly withheld from the soa-in-
law or brother-in-law. Then there are the
letters written by the dear intimate girl
friends, who pour out the secrets OF thelr
heart upon paper for the sympathy and ELL
tertainment of sweet Mrs. Jones, but not
for the eyes of sarcastic Mr.. Jones. A very
laughable but sensible reason for a wife
withholding her letters from her husband
was given by a contemporary not long since.
She said: These letters contain confess
other mind, that would be rudely treated
il given any sort of publicity. And while
husband and wife are one to each other,
they are two in the eyes of other people,
and it may well happen that a friend will
desire to impart something toa discreet
woman which she would not intrust to the
babbling husband of that woman.
That's the whole thing in a nutshell. So
we see that a woman of honor may keep
her correspondence from her better half
without in any way rejecting discredit up
on herself. As some one has truly said,
THE charm of a letter is gone if read Sec
ond hand, the aroma escapes if read by an
other. Half of the pleasure is the eager
expectancy felt while breaking the seal.
Imagine how one must feel while waiting
for her letter to be read slowly and DELHI
erately and carelessly or angrily tossed to
her. | should think she would rather put
them in the fire than read them then.
| Some rome would.-Baltimoge american.
An eastern man adyertises for "a boy to
open oysters with a reference Oysters
do not generally obtain references, but mil
ions can trutniully testify TO the miracul-
Gus power of Or. Bulls Cough Syrup.