The Van Buren press., 1896-10-03
WHERE MEN ARE CARELESS.
ThouEhtioss as go the Future OF Wife
and Family

ana Fam1ly
1t is d singular fact that the 4Ameri-
can man, who is the best and 1ost
thoughtful husband in the aorh,
should yet be peculiarly thoughtless as
to the future of his wife and children in
the event of his death. How often this
fact is brought home to all of us when a
man dies and leaves his widow in pow
erty and his affairs in absolute confus-
! ion, whereas a little forethought might
easily have prevented either or both.
The most loving of husbands is often he
one most careless in the making of his
will. Either he forgets altogether to
make one, or he leaves a document
~hieh he had planned to change, but for
| some reason or other failed to alter.
Again, he neglects to take out an in
suranee policy where his income easily
! justified his doing so. Or, perhaps,
he took out certain policy for the
benefit of his mother, sister, father or
brother, and the beneficiary having
passed away it was his intention to al
ter the policy to the name of his wife.
lie intended to do It, but death found 1t
undohe, and trouble ensued for the
widow. Particularly, in cases where Il
man marries for the second time, should
the strictest punctuality and care be ex-
ercised iii altering his will, insurance
policy or such other documents as he
MAY leave behind him tending to benefit
his heirs or successors.
But men are optimistic about death.
Friends may drop at their very sides,
and for time the lesson is brought
| home to them. II must make my will,
and see about my own affairs in case |
die" SAYS Tie man to himself, and he
honestly intends to give the matter at
tention. But within few days he has
plunged into business again and forgots
ten his good resolution. Suddenly he
dies, or becomes so seriously i'll as to
make suitable arrangements ifnPossi-
bic. Then trouble ensues for those he
leaves behind. Such eases are not iso-
lated ones. Again and again during the
past year have such instances come di-
rectly under my attention or | have
heard of them. And yet, in each case,
venture to say, there existed an inten-
ton on the part of the dead man to 'set
his house in order 1t was simply
| thoughtlessness; it was put OFF, as a
matter which could be attended to at
any time. Naturally, the wife shrinks
from discussing the subject of pfovis-
ion being made for her and her children
in the event of the death of her hus-
bands passing away. Death is never a
| pleasant topic, even at its best, and it Is
a topic witch we avoid if we can. The
wife fears, too, having Interior motives
attributed to her if she mentions the
subject. And so the matter of pro-
vision for the wife after the husbands
death is allowed to go undiseussed.
There is some reason why a woman
should refrain from speaking of such
a topic to her husband-and yet can
not help thinking that it would often be
better if she would. But there is no
excuse for the mans neglect of so inn
portant matter. No man should be-
come so engrossed in affairs that he
| cannot take time TO see so far as he Is
able, that no trouble that he can provide
against shall come to his wife and chill
| 6ren after his death. If he has any
thing to leave to them he should make
will and distinctly provide for the dis
tributon of his effects. Nor can such
document be safely made except in the
shape of a will legally drawn by law
yer. Memorandum" are worthless
| things in the eyes of the law, and fire.
auently have exactly the opposite eff
feet to that which was intended. The
same care should be exercised in the
case of insurance policies. firmly be-
lieve that it is the duty of every man
to be insured With insurance poll
cies to be had at such low rates as is
at present the case, there is scarcely 3
man who cannot afford some sort OF q
policy, no matter how small the
amount it NAV call for. What serms to
the man himself In good health as a
small amount for an insurance policy
often turns out to be modest fortune
to the woman or children who survive
him. | wish, sometimes, that the TAX
ing out of an insurance policy, on the
part of the husband, for an amount nc
cording to his means, might be made
an obligatory part of every marriage
ceremony.
| know whereof [ speak when ! say
that there are hundreds of women in the
homes of this land who are daily carry
ing with them the fear that their hus
hands or fathers are neglecting or for
getting to make suitable provision fol
them as widows or orphans. They
shrink from speaking to the men OF theil
homes about the matter And is it espe
cially for the benefitof these women tina
| write these words. Perhaps, where
the occasion makes it necessary, they
can, with a woman's SKILL see that wha-
| have written here may come to the at
tention of these men. And if my words
should prove to be the means of bringing
even one man TO a realizing sense Of hi
duty | shall not have written in vain
No man can afford to neglect a simple
duty which may mean all the difference
between happiness and misery to hi'
family. Suitable provision he canno
allow himself to put off," for surely
IL is true that sin the midst of life we arr
il, death. Ladies' Home Journal.
Latest styles in Fans.
Empire fans still continue to lead tn,
fashion in that very significant littl,