St. Paul daily globe., 1892-12-26
Aunt Polly Analyses in In
dignant Vein a Suspi-
cious Item.
Honey Spent for Christmas
Presents by Generous
Housewives
Considered in the Light Of
Common Property in the
Family.
Ten Held to Be Unintention-
ally UnkiDd in This
Matter.

"This is the season of The year when tho
kind wife selects costly present for her
better half and directs that the blli- therefor
shall not be sent to him until after the new
year. Under the present organization OF the
average family this arrangement cannot well
be changed, but holiday JOYS are somewhat
uuled nevertheless by visions of the insa
table creditor who is certain to make his ap-
pearance later on"
Now, if there is anything that makes
Bne mad it's such an item as that. Pray,
why is the money that shall 20 to pay
FOR the presents selected not as much
the property of the wife as it is that of
The husband? Ir the marriage ceremony
means anything, it means that, surely.
Can thing be more plainly said than
that part of the ceremony that says,
"IVith all my worldly goods | thee en-
dOW?'' Why would it not be just rs
witty for the paragrapherS to say that
this is the season when man buys
handsome present for his wife which
she will be expected to help pay for by
strict economy the next few months?
There is Just as much truth in one as
there is in the other.
1t may be true that under the
present organization of the average
family the arrangement cannot be
changed" but if it is, it is only
proof that the organization is wrong.
The fact is, no woman should be obliged
TO get anything charged. much less her
Christmas presents. Every woman who
has the spending Of money knows that
the cash in hand will go much farther
than when you run bill. That is, II
you can pay as you go, So will buy more
than 81 will If you have things charged.
Then every woman should know how
much she ought TO spend each week, or
month"; on the family living, and ninety
women out of hundred will make the
allowance meet her requirements, if
such thing is possible. Women hate
10 go in debt They are as AFRAID of
debt as they are of the vague mysterious
power of the law, and goodness knows
that is as afraid as any one could wish
their worst enemy to be. If l had the
power of making money, as Ignatius
DOnnelly'S man dreamed he had. l
would start an era OF plenty by CIV
ing every woman enough money to
pay all the family debts, and
then would petition the legislature to
pass a bill. OF two bills il necessary, to
compel every man to hand over TO his
vile eacn week sum DrOportlOned 10
his income, for the family expenses. And
the other law should make it a penal
offence for people to buy what they did
not have money to pay for. You have
no idea how many women would grow
young and smiling under this diSpensa-
ti0n who are now constantly harassed
by "the black dog Care" and the end
less study how To make things smooth
and pleasant in the family while trades
men are slow to do their bidding. because
of the long bills that ale seldom paid,
not because the head of the family has
not the money to pay but because he is
neglectful and feels that the family
purse is his and he will open it when
he feels like it.
| don't believe that men mean to be
unklnd in this matter, but | do believe
that they often are, and also that they
would be appalled, if they could look
into The hearts of their quiet wives and
see what things pride keeps them from
saying on this very subject. Most of the
tiffS and npleasantneSses of welded
life grow out of the money question in
some form; and this new year 1893
would be good time for many people
TO make change. | would like to hear
from tie GLOBE readers, both men and
women, on this subject.
AUNT POLLY.