The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-05-29
HOUSEHOLD DEPARTMENT.,
A HELPFUL CORNER.
Poverty of Married Women.

husbands especially, are slow to believe.
Why is it and should it be thusly? Where
in lies the fault and how are we to remedy
it? Is it being remedied by the up-to-date
mothers? are all important questions, and
very important ones.
We look about us and we notice on most
every side, woman, who in her converse
ton, however guarded she is to keep her
home affairs strictly sacred, will eventually
let fall some little hint of her poverty, that
is in having a certain sum to use individ
ualIy, apart from housekeeping money, and
thus another victim is added to the list of
the above named class of women. Should
not the wife's position be different one {?
Is not her part as essential in the home
earning as that of the husband? Is there
Justice and living up to the marital vows
when the state of the home makes her as
sumo the position of persistent mendicant
with purse inadequately filled and an UNI
certain feeling as to what she may spend for
her own purpose out side OF the marketing,
clothing, schooling, etc. Indeed 1t has been
said that the wife of a mechanic is often
more independent and really richer than
the wife of a merchant prince, because the
former was accustomed to consult his Wife's
good sense in order to disburse wisely the
small weekly sum earned by his labor, while
the latter is allowed to send bills to the hus-
band and receive frOwn or cross word
if they happen to be large). Knowing what
will be the result she will deny herself the
little pleasures because she knows he will be
displeased.
This, then, calls up the question of wo.
mans estimate of money. Some say (and
men too, husbands in many cases. that
wives do not know how to handle money;
that they cannot manage the money mat
ters. If this be so, let the present generation
of mothers take their daughters into hand
and teach them how to use money. 1t
seems very easy matter If only looked at
in the proper light. If the family is small
and husband and wife are living happily
together. does it not seem strange that
trouble should arise from such quarter as
the money bag, and yet it is because women
are treated like children, given SIS perhaps
ana IN SNORT Gllo dohCO, w A"" NAN JOA
do with that last S. | gave you; spent it so
soon" that there is more or less friction IN
thousands of homes which would otherwise
be yerv serene and charming.
It seems that the very first obstacle TO be
surmounted is the stumbling stone OF sell
tishness-don't let it creep in for it brings
countless other stones which sometimes
grow into mountains. Husband and wife,
when they marry, should decide to live as
near as possible an ideal life, and should
formulate some plan whereby it can be &C.
cOmplished. If they have means, lndlv1d-
ualIv. let it be used as before, but when the
income is received, turn 1t into the common
purse and before any amount is drawn out,
let both be consulted. Should his money
he in some business he should make it
point to offer her at certain times little
outsiJe money, and if she be a sensible, true
wife she will accept part anyway, and use
il iudiciOusIv. It seems that one trouble is
the men fail to place the high standard on
women that they deserve. They seem to
fall into the idea that wifedOm is serfdOm
and surely this is grevOus error. so
mothers of daughters, see to it that you are
instructing your daughter more thoroughly
in the art of successfully using the joint
purse that she will some day possess, than In
the arts of music and painting, etc. She
should know when to spend and when to