The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-04-18
WHO REALLY RULE.
How Some Wives Manage TO do so
with Consummate Tact.

Is "Benedick, the married man. ever
really the master Of his wi houseS "A
pretty question that to put to an Ameri-
can sovereign" says some head OF a
family'' who considers himself the Alpha
and Omega Of the home department. "of
course. there are millions Of married men
who are masters of their own houses, and
Of that grand sum total l am an inteGra
part"
Bravely retorted. But assertion is not
argument. That millions of Benedicks
believe themselves to be absolute under
their own roof-trces, the Ledger does not
doubt; but, nevertheless, the truth Is that
as a rule women reign. The majority Oh
''ladies paramount" govern gently. 50
gently, indeed, that the yoke Is uDfelt.
Xantippe was n fool as well az q terma-
gent. She could have twisted Socrates
round her finger with much less trouble
than she took to COW "his better part OF
man,"
There Is a petticoat government Of
smiles, another petticoat government OF
tears, and another ofreason. Some wives
queen it over their husbands hearts,
others over their heads, and two or three
of the most absolute petticoat
we have ever known have been as I'M
demonstrative as statues. The art OF con-
trolling by seeming to submit is a species
OF finesse thoroughly understood BY many
Of the weaker vessels, and perhaps no
man is more happy or more to be envied
than he who obeys a wise and good wiie's
will. thinking he exercises his own.
Never undeceive such a one; 1t Is the
greatest u~nkindness you can do him.
It was thought at one time that the
Turks were supreme lords of their own
households. They are so in law, but not
in fact. Travellers who have recently
been among them taking notes assure us
that some of the Ottoman randees are
terribly henpecked by their Lights OF the
Harem. The Grand Seignior, though q
Brother of the SUM-" often gets
snubbed, it is said, by some Of the bright
particular stars of the connubial hrfna.
ment, and occasionally by those lesser
lights Of loves galaxy-the odalisdues-
Thus has 1t been since the days of Solo
NOR (whose domestic troubles are more
than limited at 10 his writingsl and thus
will it be until the end of time.
There is a story OF a French priest OF
the olden time which neatly illustrates
the general principle here set forth. The
good father fancied that the law laid
down by ST. Paul touching the obedience
OF wives to husbands was obligatory on
the former, and that to c~ontravene 10 was
a heinous sin. In order 10 encourage Its
observance he one day offered TO give his
entire crop of peas, a very fine one, to any
AAtk ALA1I ahACo1 Nt~
could prove that he was not under sub
lection to his spouse. Scores of apDi-
cants for the prize appeared, but they all
broke down under the priests searching
cross examination.
At length, however, a burly, surly
laborer, who was admitted by everybody
to he a thoroughgoing domestic tyrant,
laid claim 10 the reward, and made out
his case to the satisfaction of the cure.
"Well," said the good father, Il am
glad to know that / have II man in my
congregation who is master in his own
house. Call tomorrow for your peas"
The next day the fellow went to the
priests house with a small sack, which he
began to fill.
THAT'S too small" observed the priest,
have you not a larger one?'
well yes, / have" replied the peasant,
sulkiiy, 'but you see my wife wouldn't
let me bring it,"
"Ahal' cried the cure, 'leJ my peas
alone-let my peas alone; you're only a
slave like the restp'