Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-04-18

could they but subscribe for a maya
zine, contribute to a charity, take u
days outing, or assist a poor relation,
without having to ask Jonathan
whether or not they might do the one
thing or the other, and whether he
would supply the needed funds to
do so.
Many husbands who are generous in
the extreme when their own buying
OF family stores is involved, or when
the question is one of bestowing o
gift on their wives, have an uncon-
scious drawing of the purse-strings
when their wives spending is con-
cerned. ! once heard gent eman
(?) make this ungracious speech, dis
playing the while watch-chain and
seals just bestowed upon him by his
wife on their wedding anniversary.
Pretty little plaything, isn't itp
Juliet gave it to me this morning. It's
very much, you know, like taking a
fellows money out of his pocket to
buy him something he doesn't want,
when his wife fits him out in this
fashion"
At heart that man was cad. But
he expressed q feeling, dormant in
some of his sex. who would be shocked
if informed that they were selfish and
coarse in their assumption that wife
is herself only part of their personal
assets.
Said a jeweler once in my hearing :
81 have been very much touched, now
and then, when wives have paid me for
presents bought for their husbands,
thu price had SO manifestly been saved
up, bit by bit, from the housekeeping
money"
"By good management and con-
trivance, shipping here, cutting off
there, doing without butter and sugar
myself for days together, got the
money to buy books for my own little
library" was the confession OF lady
to whom books are as the breath OF
life. She is the presiding genius of a
home where the carpets and curtains,
the pictures and sofas are dream OF
luxurious ease. But Mr.. - sees no
use for literature beyond the daily
journal.
In many cases, and especially dur
ing the collaborating years, the wife
can not we'll be a bread-winner to any
great extent But, granting that the
conditions are favorable, or that they
may be made so. what reasonable OBJ.
lection can be urged to wife's adding
her share, pecuniarily, to the stock
in trade of the family, increasing di-
rectly, SO to speak, its available cap.
ital.
1t is not that men wish to be mean
or churlish. They simply do not ap.
preciate the situation. We're it re.
versed, and themselves compelled tc
ask for every dollar and shilling from
the best of wives, how soon they
would rebel against the teasing tyr.
rany Of such fate.
Again, it is urged, and with much
truth, that all women do not know the
value of money. Women will be la
boriously frugal in one direction ant
ridiculously extravagant in another
They are often insensible to the JUS
laws of proportion, and, though they
play at keeping accounts, are no
more brilliantly successful in that role
than was the child-wife OF David Cop
perfield.
Yet again, mans sense OF the fit
ness of things, his sturdy independ
ence, is sometimes scandalized at tn,
notion that he can not by his owl
right arm, his own good brain ant
hand support his wife and children
II don't want her to do work while
can work for her." he protests, will
eager and almost wounded feeling a
the bare suggestion. at will be tim,
enough for my wife to earn none,
when l am laid by, or am helpless
cripple on her hands.
Suppose we put it in this way; Thu
wife had acquired, before her mar
riage, some bread-winning art or &C
complishment, as indeed every Ameri
can girl ought to do, in these days o
changeful circumstances. She sell
her pretty decorated cups and saucers
her embroidery, her designs, he
poems or stories, and has small bu
regular income from that source. Per
haps she puts her artistic skill to tn
trimming of hats and the making o
gowns. Possibly she had wonderful
knack at making pickles and pre-
serves, or was famous for her brea,
or homemade cake. There are
dozen occupations which a woman
may carry on, never leaving home
nor neglecting a solitary one of it
duties, while her nursery, her kitchen
and her drawing-room are the NOR
carefully looked after, that she ha
systematized her time and cut off ex
traneous pursuits.
If she have the trained facility, tn
discipline of eye and head, for tn
finer tasks. why not exercise that mar
ketable skill, while by the additions
means thus gained she hires anothe
servant to perform what to her j
drudgeryP
II, with many young people jus
starting in life, the family are board
ing, it is distinct advantage to tn
wife to have some money-making ave
cation, saving her from the tempt;
lions to idleness and gossip which Ii
at the root of much mischief whe
women have the leisure of boarding
house on their hands
That which cost us effort we priz'
The penny saved may be a penn
| aaroad hut in the case of a Woma