The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1893-09-26
DO WIVES LIKE TO EARN MON
EY?

The number OF wives and mothers
who fulfill their duties IN their homes,
and yet take up some employ ment by
which they also become wage-earners,
is steadily increasing. This State Of
affairs says Agnes Bailey, in Fashion
gives rise to constantly increasing dis
cussion, most Of which groups itself
under three heads, namely: Do wives
like to earn money! Do Husbands like
to have them? And does the practice
initiate against the chivalric spirit c.
men toward women I? :--
As to the first, there are hardly two
sides to the question. Women, both
wage earnsrs in small and great
amounts, and women In homes, receiY-
ing no money save from their hus-
bands. almost invariably answer this
question IL the affirmative. No woman
Who has received an absolutely inde-
pendent income, be it ever so small ,
relinquishes it without sigh OF at least
smothered regret. She may give up
the Independence for something more
precious, or she may abandon 1t at the
call of a higher duty, but there will al
ways be times when she will think
longingly of the money she used to earn.
There are manYreasons for the gene
raj desire to earn money among Womeo.
happily placed in homes Of their own.
The first and usual impulse is unseldsh.
Life has become such a struggle ard
men, intelligent, loving, devoted to
their families, wish to do 80 much for
their comfort, education and the estab-
lishment in the world, that they wear
themselves out In the effort.
The old way of obtaining money by
the wife, that OF small domestic savings,
Is pitifnlly inadequate to her desires,
and there Is scarcely any sweeter pleas
ure for good wife than the supply.
ing some homely need with money o.
her own earning.
Then the sense Of power which the
ability to earn money on even terms
with all the world gives woman, car
ries with it d subtle flattery, and, better
than the fiattery, there cones feeling
Of self-reliance from the fact that the
business world sets money value on
her Work, which makes simpl3 wom-
an brave and q weak woman strong.
Of course, the woman who earns money
meets annoyances and discoursgements,
liable to wound her self-love and her
sense Of justice and Of capacity. But
dIsagreeable things are incident to all
human relations. a wise woman re
members this, and is thankful for the
home-life and lovs Which partially
shield and soothe her--a support wholly
lacking to many women workers. A
woman thus encouraged Is not likely to
meet a business man who will prove
more annoying or make her feel more
indignant or more wretches than an
incompetent or imperti0ent servant
at home.
There is yet another reason why wives
like to earn money, and this Is a power
full argument in Its favor, to thought
ful women. Many and many sorowful
times has been repeated the story OF the
cultured, home-loying woman sudden
ly bereft of the home aud the love that
has so gladly protected her. She has
cot been an idle woman as the orderly
house, the healthful family testify, and
she may even have had 8. training in
some art for self.support in her youth,
or practiced some trade before her mar
riage. But the years of wifehocd have
inevitably weakened her grasp, her
technical dsxrerity, and the business
instinct that she must put into her
bread-Wirn!ng pursuit, ard when the
day of need comes she finds herself be-.
hind the requirements of her time. and
her services not commercially valuable.
1t Is the knowledge OF this painful
possibility which makes the modern
married woman slow to relinQuish the
exercise Of her wage-earning power,
II she had any, and glad to try to ac7
quire a moiety of it if possible. The
regular, though small, amount OF wol K
that she may be able to do. keeps her in
touch with the business world, and more
than doubles her opportunities for work
if the sad unexpected crosses her
threshold.