The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-05-21
Woman as q Homo Ma K a.. {.

We are i'll receipt OF a very excellent art
icle under the signature of "Tansy'-we
feel sorry our correspondent did not give
her real name. She need not have with
held il, for she has given us q good talk
on home life and l wish it could be pub
lishcd in a mans kingdom instead Of a
woman's. bur if there are any such men
about ''Tansy" describes, / am sure the
wife VIII be smart enough to manage II
some way to nave the "other half OF the
family read what she Says.
] said IL there were any such men
about. Alas, there are only too many Of
such specimens We see day after day wo-
men who are neglected and almost starving
for kind word OF encouragement, but
who are treated as If they were d
necessary piece OF furniture in the home,
and are expected to drudge and toll ana
keep things nice and never grow weary
and yet smile and utter 10 complaint.
have dozen homes right now III my
just such as -'Tansy'' describes. but l
Z speak for herself
Is been sal& about woman
lone, that / want to show
is not the only element i'll home
nS; mat a RUDE, selfish nan, even UNI
Consciously 50, will mar the happiIe5s Of
any home, ue 4 ever 50 bright.
Loving words aiI;: k.lid acts are the staple
OF this honle-naklnS business, but it seem;
hard for men to realize that love is a
mans existence There are many unhappy
homes in this TAR .5oul bland OF ours, and the
general idea seems 20 prevail that woman is
to blame. There are many women having
sweet and loVabie dispositions that &C
quiIe bad temper simply through a hus-
bands neglect.
~ by snOUid q man treat his wife more
politely before marriage than after? True
there are many men who are ever the en-
bcd!mcnt Of gcntieness and civihty, Tut it
is the common everyday man of whom
I A-t.,fR me IN nov
woo December when they wed. Il IS tru-
ly wonderful To note the difference in such
a man SIN months before marriage and six
months afterwards. lie seems 70 lay aside
his gaIlautry thing OF the past, or.
perhaps, he IS saving i fOT some special
occasion. Notice him when he GENES TO Il
meal; he eats III Silence, or gives only mon
oSyilabic answers 10 his Wife's inquiries,
then gathers up his politics OF journals and
sits as grim as !, hea>, while his wife
Keeps respectfully silent, afraid OF boring
him. II the parlor he selects the comfort
able easy chair, never thinking to offer it
to his tired wife who humply takes the
straight-baclled rocker that affords no rest
TO her tired limbs. He never takes her with
him on = drive: he forgets that the fresh
and gay helds and the song Of the birds
were once sources of delight.
Again very few men careful to see
that their wives have anusement5 ara
pleasant companions as they are to seek
out those agreeable to themselves. They
seem 10 have an idea that home duties will
be neglected if they are afforded these pleas
ures. \ selfish man usually fances himself
the very pink OF husbands and wonders
why his wife looks thin and jaded, smiling
ii. that mechanical way, when he is doing
SO much 10 make her happy and he at
once scores her down as 'mQodJ' and OBJ
stinate. when 1t is only the reflex action of
his own sei1ishness to which he is stupidity
blind!
And so it is that woman makes the home
but it will be u grand day when men real
ize that love and kindness go far in making
the woman.
THAT this is a true picture of many homes
1 doubt not many Of my readers could
testify 70; and il ] add that IN some, if
not all the cases, probably the woman is
still 10 blame, the assertion would create
great surprise, and yet L mean il. This is
the explanation: Men are naturally sell
fish and many wives make them mere so
By making themselves slaves TO their every
whim and desire. l have seen wives wait
on their husbands until it made me sick
/ am not for suffrage yet q may come to it
in time, but | for equal rights and
recognition III the home, and if Il man has
10 consideration for his wife's comfort and
happiness, there is no reason why she
Should wear heself out pampering his every
whim. / cont want to be misunderstood,
it is the duty Of every wife 70 give loyal al
Iegiance to her husband, but she has d
perfect right to demand the same, and
where she fails to receive it and sits meek
Iy down and bears everything, she deserves
her fate / really believe q woman who re-
sents Sights and neglect, WoUH demand
more respect Don't wait on and make
such a fuss over a man and make him
think he is something out Of the usual or
der of beings, and they can soon be brought
to her senses.