The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-04

luustratiOn.
Being bachelor, and tho kind of q
bachelor am, 1 SEQ moro wives than do
most married men. If this were not So
might not have an objection to them as
class. l might think, rs somo of my
married male friends do, that even if my
own wife (supposing hnd one, mean,
now were disappointing to me rs COM
panion and distressing to mo because of
her unwarranted cxactions my married
neighbors may be moro lucky Their wives
may be their chums and companions, their
wives may not demand slaves attention,
fathers indulgence, u lovers unqucs-
tioniDg devotion and q rich and doting
unclcs unstintcd allowance and cxpcct
nothing in return.
Do l mako myself clear? Do suggest
that because l visit many homes where
know the husbands business affairs and
see tho wifc's attitude feel myself equip
ped to discuss the question of American
wives better, being bachelor of u some
what extended and varied acquaintance.
than L could If were married and (possi-
bly,, thcrcforc) possessed of u greatly CON
tractcd sphere of obscrvation2
Well, then, Mr. Editor / want to ask
you If you do not think there IS omcthng
essentially faulty in the social relationship
of American husbands and wives, which
relationship is brought about wholly bv
the assumption on the part of the wives
of rights, privileges and exemptions: The
husband Is bound by every obligation, To-
gal and moral, to give his wife homo and
such material comforts as he is able TO
supply to himself also Please, sir, OBJ
serve that "also" Is it not Il fact, ] ask
you, that the American wife of any man
above the grade OF common unskillcd la
borcr dcmands-cvcn expects without de-
neutrality-suspicious. and luxurics in which
the husband could not also indulge with
out mourning debts he could not pay if he
Is less than merchant or capitalist, and
perhaps inviting bankruptcy through cx-
travaGancc and neglect of business?
Perhaps you never thought of TINT be-
fore Well, let us SEQ. Besides sharing in
such comforts rs tho husbands home and
board afford, the American wife Mt once
assumes the right to the luxury of idle
ness. That is Il very great deal 1t means
an additional cost for one or more scrv-
ants, which cost is imposed upon the hus-
bands earnings, bo they large or small
III they are large, l have no complaint If
those earnings arc SMALL then surely tho
husband has II complaint-but he seldom
makes it.
But this is only the beginning In mat
tiers OF luxury tho American wife not only
induigcs ut his expense in many more than
does tho husband, but frequently she in
dnlgcs in many when, and again therefore,
he can indulge i'll none. What right has
she to this? Take the luxury of fine dress
ing, for example. l know n mani Shall
make homcly cxample-who before his
marriage WAS noticcably we'll dressed
man. He cared for well made, fresh, nice
clothes in "a perfectly rational way aud
artistically. Now he wears trousers which
bag at the knee pitifully and his coat
shines Mt the elbows and shoulders. He
holds responsible place, and has for years,
in big commercial firm, and know his
salary is not less than 81, 900 q year, and 1
should not be surprised to hear that 1t was
more. dincd with him mt his home the
other night, and in inviting me he said, MS
he alway does: Don't take the trouble to
dress, old man. Well just dine informal
ly."
Now, he knows perfectly well that 1t Is
no trouble for ne TO dress for the evening
anu that do so nearly every day, and, TO
tell you the truth, this letter was first su.,-
gcStcd to me by my conviction that his
evening dress Is in n pretty bad way, and
nc doesn't feel that he can afford the cx-
pcnsc of another
That Is one side of tho picture; here is
the other: Madam appeared in n pretty,
was new before I'd been in the house five
minutes. I've known her ever since she
was Il child
I'm talking now about the typical Amer
lean wife of n man who can be said to be
In comfortable circumstances by the
standards of tho best class of salaricd men.
She Is no moro cxtravagant, thoughtlcss,
exacting or unreasonable than tho average
OF her class, was well brought up, helped
her mother keep her fathers nose to
the grindstono always, is bright, good
enough naturcd, If you please do not
know, thank God, just what that dress
referred to cost, but know its price would
cover my friends expenditures for clothes
for year. The dinner was good, rs she
judged it, no doubt, but she did not know
what single dish WAS to be until it was
served
Well, after dinner my friend and I had
just lit cigars and stretched our legs for a
comfortable talk, when madam exclaimed:
1T will be deadly stupid staying at
home. Let's go and see an act or two of
some thcatcr"
Sho was dressed in II rtrcct gown (hand-
some and new before we had half finished
our cigars and sho dragged us out TO some
fool show where she saw n hat she an
nounccd she should have copied for herself
the next day. Having this letter in mind,
was mean enough to ask my friend the
next day how madam was that morning,
and he answered, us 1 supposed he would,
that he had not seen her. ''Shc does not
breakfast until some time after leave for
the Office" he added.
Now, there is that man, earning 81, 900
or $4,000 year, working from in tho
morning until in the afternoon so weeks
year, dressing like $40 month clerk.
not saving penny, supporting his wife in
idle luxury at tho cost of probably two