Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-05
A REMNANT OF BARBARIsM.
Lucy Stone Tells Where the Admitted Evil
CusIom Had Its Origin.

Custom Had Its Origin.
Lucy Stone presents the following facts
and arguments and number of incidents
from actual life to bring husbands to a
realizing sense of the pauperized condition
of their wives:
1t is the cruel and barbarous old common
law that is at the bottom of the impecunious
and poverty-stricken condition of so many
wives This law at the marriage ceremony
gave all the personal property of wife to her
husband. When she had a child born alive, it
gave to the husband the use OF all her real
estate as long as he lived. He was also legally
entitled TO her earnings after marriage.
Having thus gwen all her available property
to her husband, the law provided that the wife
should have (what is always secured for town
paupersl food clothes and medicine suitable
TO her condition" This was all the law re-
quired a husband to give his wife out OF their
Joint earnings while they live together.
The old comman law has now been largely
modified. But for generations every man
knew that, with the close of the marriage cere-
mony, all his wife's worldly goods would be,
come absolutely his own. He knew that, In all
probability, he would, sooner or later, have the
use and control of all her real estate. 1t be-
comes habit to expect all this. From tradI-
tion and habit, the idea prevails that a hus-
band supports" his wife, implying that her
labor in the home has no money value Hence
he assumes that he is entitled TO her property
TO help in her support. The vicious point is
that the wifes part is not considered as having
any money worth.
A MODERN EXAMPLE.
The wife of a well-to-do business man, all her
life had to ask for every cent she needed, and
to return the unspent balance. At last hurt
beyond endurance, she said to her husband: 81
will never again ask you for money as long as
1--we"
For three years she never asked and be
never offered. Then it dawned upon the hus-
band that it was not simple whlm, but
real hurt to her self-respect that had kept her
so long silent, and he laid SlOU on her plate
without word. From that time she had all
she needed and more, though she never
asked.
one young husband settled the matter for the
good of both. This was his story, as told by
himself: He had married the woman of his
choice. Apparently she was as well satisfied
as he was. They lived in suburb of a large
city. Every morning his wife followed him TO
the gate and, with a goodby kiss, would say
NOW, Frank come home as soon as you can"
At night she watched for his coming, and ran
out TO meet him with welcome
They were happy pair. But he noticed in
the course of few months that she left off all
this In the morning she no longer urged his
early return, nor did she welcome his coming
at night, She grew reserved and silent 1t was
grief to her husband.
SOLVING A MYSTERY.
After thinking it over, and being sure of his
own loyalty to her, he determined to ask her
what caused the difference in her manner.
This he did, at the same time telling her she
was the one woman in all the world whom he
preferred, and that if he had failed toward her
in any way, he wished she would tell him.
Whereupon the young wife burst out crying;
great sobs choked her utterance. The poor
husband thought it was all up with them. But
when the wife could speak, she said:
You know. Frank, that before we were
married l had the income of my dead mothers
property and all that 1 earned teaching, and 1
was independent. But since our marriage 1
have nothing from teaching, and you said
you would take care of my mothers prop
erty, SO never have cent unless ask for it.
and the last time told you needed money
you asked me how much wanted; told you l
needed sRoe laces, and that they would cost
cents, and you gave me Just 6 cent" and then
she cried again. The husband, immensely re-
lieved, asked: rs that all?'
"All r' said the wife; lit is enough to kill
any woman. How would you like never to
hare a cent except when you had to ask for
The husband said he had often thought of
the ease of the life of wife who could have
all the money she wanted by Just asking for it.
MANY wives do not get 1t by asking.) 1t had
never occurred to him that it was either pam
or humiliation for grown woman to be com
PEELED to ask for money and to account for it
every time. He considered the ease, and said
this to his wife: You shall never have to ask
me for money again. You need SO much a
week for housekeeping expenses. l will put
double that amount every week into this
drawer If you need more, put in slip of
paper Just naming the amount"
THAT SETTLED IT.
Z 1t was not long before. with the sense of in
dependence and freedom, the old glad light
came back to her eyes, and the morning and
evening welcome again greeted the husband,
who was now just to his wife. At the end of
year she showed him a bankbook, with 500
saved the surplus over what she needed or
wished to spend.
had this fact from the husband himself.
He said: 'II l had not asked her what
troubled her, she would have gone on thinking
was mean and stIngy, and it would have de.
Etroyed all the happiness of our lives"