The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-22

main chance was not overlooked. and the
dowry was satisfactorily settled in com
pliance with the French law before the
c,htract was scaled at the altar The
amount OF Miss Audenreid's income "a
varlously estimated from 5000 to s.. 900.
70 winch her mother has added dot of
several thousands more out OF her hand
some fortune, that will in all probability
revert eventually to her daughter
MRS. WoLcoTT DOESN'T APPROVE OF powRrEs
Mrs. Wolcott, wife of the senator from
Colorado. was at first rather disinclined TO
express her views, as she had never seri-
Dusty considered the question, but she
soon warmed up to the subject in reply to
one or TWO leading questions, ardently cs-
pouslng the opposite view. Mrs. Woicott
went-on to explain that she considered
domestic happiness better secured by
Total dependence on the part of the wife.
She said
In every male breast there lives a spark
OF latent chivalry that is sure to be called
forth by the demand for protection on the
part OF the weaker vessel, and his manly
pride is reused by the demand upon his
Iightful sovereignty over those who are
dependent upon his strength, just as the
very dependency of an infant claims our
natural love and care. We Americans are
far too apt to indulge in habit Of I'M
tatlng foreign customs instead of preserv-
ing that boasted independence so hardly
won by our forefathers, and the worst OF It
y that we by no means adopt the best of
them. We usually follow some foolish
brief fancy originating in distant lands by
class OF people possessing entirely oppo-
site requirements. The French, as we'll as
many other Europeans who observe this
law OF dowry-giving, live very happily to
all appearances, but the truth is that the
women of other countries expect less from
their husbands than We Americans enjoy
One thing, however, have noticed among
foreigners is that the wife of a Frenchman
is far more respected in the light of coun-
selior to her husband than with us,
and is consulted upon every and
any emergency, whether of public or pri-
vate demands, and the wisdom of her ad-
wee generally followed. The trouble with
us lies in the fact that we have developed
into such o 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 or
not such total dependence results in hap
piness?"
"Of course replied Mrs. Wolcott,
where man is tyrant by nature, no do
nestle congeniality or welded Joy can be
expected under any consideration; but
every true man will guard his wife from
feeling of dependence, and treat her with
consideration, whether she possess private
means or come to him empty-handed. By
all means let Us avoid the adoption of any
custom, but preserve our individuality as
nation, and let circumstances guide our
action in this question as in every other
event of llfe."
MRS. CAREY TELLS HOW 1T rs IN WYOMING
The wife of Senator Carey, of Wyoming,
il one of the handsomest among the ladies
OF the senatorial circle, a typical Western
woman, possessed of all the independence
and self-reliant spirit engendered by life
spent in an atmosphere of progressive suf-
frage, that in no way detracts from the
dignity and tenderness of her nature as
wife and mother. She holds independent
views differing materially from those held
by Mrs. Wolcott. She advocates equality
of individual rights in the matter of for
tune as in all other respects. l dropped in
upon her one morning not long since at
her handsome suite of apartments in the
Arlington and found her a keen advocate
of the superior advantages resulting from
the system of dowry-giving. She said:
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 domes-
tic comfort, there are always little unex-
pected demands cropping up that no
woman cares to be forever asking to sup
ply. Then, too. there are occasional small
charities or pet acts of 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
of hn de tvs,
double the sum supplied through the
generosity of her husband. No one has
happier or more congenial welded life
than mine or a more lavishly induigent
partner, yet for that very reason often
refrain from making demands upon his
purse. / believe in fact that the pleasure
derived from some little act of personal
generosity out of private purse, far out
weighs any mutual gift. In no state in
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 a per-
fected state, and as rule men hold their
wives in higher degree 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
productive of greater fairness in regard to
wages. The pay of women in every trade
anu pTOIeSSlOn Is the same as tlaJ Oh u
man performing equal labor. This law
also extends to the right of inheritance.
Should a man die intestate worth less
than 10000, 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 rule holding good
when the money comes through the
women"
s.Speaking of the advantages of indie
pendent MEANS" Mrs. Carey continued,
s'recalls the case of friend out West who
married man of terribly jealous nature
and who lily concealed his dislike of the
spirit Of independence engendered in his
wife by the possession Of an annual allow
ance from her father. At length he de-
termincd TO settle the matter, and called
upon his father-in-iaw with the request
that the allowance be discontinued, in
order that upon him alone must his wife
learn to depend. Such instances are, how
ever, of rare occurrence. and the majority
of husbands are far better satisfied TO feel
that their helpmeet possesses a protection
from sudden reverses of fortune should
financial crash occur or sudden death re-
move 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
l..