The Portland daily press., 1891-12-16
DECEPTION AMONG WOMEN.
WHY Husbands and Fathers are TO Blame
for Much Apparent Dishonesty.
TPittsburg Bulletin.J

[Pittsburg Bulletin.I
Since the field of womans work has
brf ,adened, it has been discovered that
the proportion of women clerks, cashiers
and forewomen, who betray the trustre-
nosed m them, is much less than that of
mall, employees. Opposite this, as if the
purp<re were to balance the sins of the
sexes. we find the simple proposition
that. IDS a rule, women are more decep-
tive THAN men, but the deception is prac-
ticed ejther in small matters or in senti-
ment.
If we eliminate love from the calcula-
tions. W oman is still the more deceptive
in small things That is to say, she may
plead guilty to petit larceny, while her
big brother covers the entire gamut,
from grand larceny to murder. IF this
were true, lit is not difficult to account
for the difference between man and
womankindl. The majority of women
depend lar gely upon their husbands,
fathers or b1 others. In the maintenance
of the house and table, to say nothing of
personal adoa nment, there are very few
men who place their purse at their wife's
disposal. Nineteen out of twenty have
seen their mot hers appealing to the head
of the house for money thst should have
been given to b or as hers by right
The mans point Of view and the wom-
ans point of vie W are 80 far apart that it
takes time to bridge it, and as tho wom-
an is usually tse bridge builder, what
wonder if she vrearies, resolves to take
the shortest and easiest way and prac-
tices some small deception? Many a girl
with honest impuas es, candid to fault,
has been mated to man whose lack of
sensibility, sordid views Of life, greed or
indifference changed the entire charac-
ter of her life. Shs has kept her own
counsel and managed" her husband to
the best of her ability. Is this excusable
deception?
Many years ago the judges IN England
ruled that if a man had avenues of fight
open, no matter how sorely he might be
beset, to turn and slasy his assailant was
murder, and many thousands were
hanged for preferrlog to kill another
rather than stand or be svertalren and
slain. OF late the judges have changed
the ruling. The Interpretation of the
law is different. Whereas in former
years no man dare assail his opponent
until he was driven to the wall, now we
have the common sense decision that a
man need not flee from an assassin,
turning his back and inviting death.
He may face his opponent and kin him
rather than risk being killed. IF this
ruling is just, what shall we say of the
men whose misery practices or greed or
Indifference deprives their wives or
daughters Of the opportunity to enjoy
life within their meanss
The best answer to the assertion that
women are more deceptive than men is
| found in those families where the parents
do not discriminate against their daugh-
ters; where it is assumed that the daugh-
| tiers are entitled to as much money as
the sons, and the SONS are taught that
the earnings of the minors are common
stock. The girls practice no more de-
ception than the boys. They develop
into independent, fair minded women.
And they may be relied upon to preserve
their self respect and the respect due
their husbands.
In the practical, everyday affairs of
life the equality taught by the master is
impressed in manner that makes char
acter. And characterless women are
the only companions that characterlees
men are worthy d.