The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-02-22
DOWRIES FOR DAUGHTERS.
Continued from Ninth Page)

OF an infant claims our natural love and care.
We Americans are far too apt to indulge in a
habit of Initiating foreign customs instead of
preserving that boasted independence SO hardly
won by our forefathers, and the worst of it is
that we by no means adoptthe best of them. We
usually follow some foolish brief fancy orignat-
ing in dietant lands by class of people possessing
totally opposite requirements. The French, as
well as many other Europeans who observe this
law of dowry-givlng, live very happily to all ap-
pearances, but the truth is that the women of
other countries expect less from their husbands
than we Americans enjoy. One thing, how
ever, have noticed among foreigners is that
the wife of Frenchman is far more respected
in the light of a counselor to her husband than
with u.s. and is consulted upon every and any
emergency, whether of public or private de-
mands, and the wisdom of her advice generally
followed. The trouble with us lies in the fact
that we have developed into such money
getting, money-loving race that in following
the practical we lose the joy of the ideal, and
the sweet romance of love is destroyed in the
effort"
"Do you not think that much depends upon
the character of the man whether not such
total dependence results in happiness" ?"
"Of course" replied Mrs. Wolcott, "where a
man is a tyrant by nature no domestic con-
geniaity or welded Joy can be expected under
any consideration: but every true man will
guard his wife from a feeling of dependence
and treat her with consideration, whether she
handed. By all means let US avoid the adoption
of any custom, but preserve our individuality as
q nation and let circumstances guide our action
in this question as In every other event of life"
MRS. SENATOR CAREY TELLS HOW 1T IS IN
WYOMING.
The wife of Senator Carey, of Wyoming, is
one of the handsomest among the ladies of the
Senatorial circle, typical Western woman,
possessed of all the independence and self-relant
spirit engendered by life spent in an atmos-
phere of progressive suffrage, that in no way
detracts from the dignity and tenderness of her
nature as wife and mother. She holds inde-
pendent views differing materially from those
held by Mrs Wolcott. She advocates equality
of individual rights in the matter of fortune, as
in all other respects. 1 dropped in upon her
one morning not long since at her handsome
suite of apartments in the Arlington, and found
her keen advocate of the superior advantages
resulting from the system of dowergiving.
She said ''I am firmly convinced that married
life is always the happier for the possession of
means on the side Of the wife. No matter how
thoughtful and generous the husband may be,
for no matter how lavishly the head of the house
provides for the domestic comfort, there are
always little unexpected demands cropping up
that no woman cares to be forever asking to
supply. Then, too, there are occasional small
charities or pet acts oS kindness that one likes
to indulge in, and If she be possessed of even
limited allowance of her own she feels truer
pleasure in the dispensing of the funds than in
giving double the sum supplied through the
generosity of her husband. No one has hap
pier or more congenal welded life than mine
or more lavshly indulgent partner, yet for
that very reason | often refrain from making
demands upon his purse. l believe, in fact,
that the pleasure derived from some little act
of personal generosity out of a private purse
far outweighs any mutual gift. In no State in
the Union are women more highly honored or
more connubially happy than in Wyoming,
simply for the reason that the laws of universal
suffrage there prevail in perfected state, and
rule men hold their wives in higher de-
gree of respect and look upon them as their
equals in all things. There are fewer cases of
divorce and fewer domestic discords, besides
which the laws of women's suffrage are produc-
tive of greater fairness in regard to wages The
pay of woman in every trade and profession
is the same as that of man performing equal
labor. This law also extends to the right of
inheritance. Should a man die in the State
worth less than ten thousand dollars the entire
amount goes to his widow. Should his fortune
be larger, the half of the sum to any amount is
hers, the remaining half to be divided among
the children, the same ruleholding good when
the money comes through the women.
''Speaking of the advantages of Independent
means," Mrs. Carey continued, ''recalls the
case of friend out West who married man
of terribly jealous nature, and who lily con-
cealed his dislike of the spirit of independence
engendered in his wife by the possession of an
annual allowance from her father. At length
he determined to settle the matter, and called
upon his father-in-law, with the request that
the allowance be discontinued in order that
upon him alone must his wife learn to depend.
Such instances are, however, of rare occurrence,
and the majority of husbands are far better sat
isfed to feel that their helpmeet possesses a
protection from sudden reverses of fortune
should financial crash occur or sudden death
remove their lawful protection"
ANOTHER WESTERN VIEW.
Mrs. Warren, wife of the new Senator from
Wyoming, was present during our conversation,
having only the night previous arrived in the
city to join her husband. In reply to my re-
quest for her personal views upon the question,
she laughingly responded: 81 indorse Mrs.
Carey in all that she has said, and am sure that
every woman within the boundaries of the free
State of Wyoming will agree with me. For
nearly twenty years have cast my vote at the
the respect accorded the weakest of my sex
from every true man, and am happy in the love
and esteem of one of the best husbands in the
world"