The evening times., 1898-07-16
FRENCH AND
ENGLISH WIVES
Britain Discussing the Ques.
ton Which rs the Better.
Comparison Involves So Many Com.
plications Ii Seems Inpossible
for the Wisest to Decide.

/ ly adverted In your editorial columna In
propoundins this problem, has. doubt
not. set the ball a-roiiing once more. He
is an amiable critic. and a privileged
| one. but when II comes to the point of
| instituting comparisons between English
wives and French wives, the ground is
diffcult and dangerous. There are few
men who, In their own family circle.
attractive class Of young persons with
whom poster designers have to some ex-
tent familiarized those of US who never
go 10 the "gay Continong," and whose
habit of lifting her skirts above a shape
ly pair of ankles on day when the bou-
levards are little muddy is the first
thing to strike the average male observer
fresh from London. The delightful free
dom of the movement the manner, too,
in which French girl will wear a gown.
however inexpensive, the liyeliness of her
whole demeanor. before she is heard to
utter one word. are wonderfully prepos-
sessing. And, then. when she speaks In
a musical way, running of little stream
| OF colloquialisms. saying the same thing
| day after day in the same words. but
making you believe they are positively
fresh, new and original by the engaging
| mode Of her expression-you really can
not refrain from wishing that English
women were not quite so cold or formal,
so awkward in public. so tedious. SO dull
But. unfortunately the young French
woman who takes the strangers fancy Is
not typical of her race, and If you should
wish to make yourself competent to in
stitute comparisons you must obtain ac-
cess to what in reality in France is more
exclusive even than the Englishmans s
castle-the domestic hearth and home
| 1t Is difficult to become one of a family
| in a city like Paris. for the French mil
die class are not disposed to bare the
straits and pinchings of their domestic
| economy to the prying eye. Meet them in
their flats and take them by surprise.
and the niggardliness OF their life, the abb
solute want Of comfort, and the actual
privations that are undergone shock you.
| unless you should derive aesthetic deligh;
from the contemplation of other peoples
thrift as wholesome virtue.
But change the scene from the lodging
10 the restaurant, say on Sunday even
ing. and you will be absolutely astonish-
ed with the prodigality of the housewife.
who has secretly schemed and economic
ed all the week in private in order that
she and hers may enjoy themselves Law
ishly and openly on the fete day in pub
lie. Now. sir. would any English woman
consent to do this sort OF thing for pleas
ure? Would she rather not prefer to pass
a monotonouS existence. dull. dreary
life in her own home? We all know that
she chooses of her own free will her lot,
and her environment pleases her and is
appropriate to the ambition which most
English women have-that of bringing up
a family. the larger the more honorable.
in a perfectly respectable manner.
The French woman has different aim.
She looks upon marriage from another
point of view-one that Is much less sem
timental and much more matter-of-fact.
Then too, she-not being troubled with
the cares of numerous progeny-has leis-
ure to devote herself 10 the main chance.
and as all French methods of doing busi-
mes are finical and leisurely. she finds
scope in the counting house or entering
desk for the exercise of the habits of at
tending to trifies and of dawdling ever
details. which belong to her sex. She has
this great advantage over the English
woman. She gets to know her husbands
resources. She is not wasteful of them.
because she is herself a breadwinner
and she acquires living interest in all
which concerns his career. Whereas the
average English woman does not toler-
circle; she is possessed with the idea
that business should not be brought
home; she has. in fact, contempt for
that which enables her husband to pay
the butchers and the bakers bill; it is
quite enough for her that he is some
thing in the city," and she Is profoundly
ignorant of his business or profession
The theory, no doubt. is excellent. 1t is
a good rule to dismiss from ones mind
the cares of the city life when you lock
the office desk. But when the wife takes
no interest, or is allowed to take none.
in the ups and downs of daily toll. and
is incapable of providing any substitute
for conversation. she runs the risk of be-
ing considered a drudge or toy If the
latter, she may not improbably be cast
aside; if the former, she has herself to
thank.
Most young women of today spend
wears of their maiden life in acquiring
accomplishments: but whether they cy-
Gle. paint. or play. or sing. when once
they have a golden circiet about their
finger. a couple of domestic servants who
are continually giving or receiving no.
tice an ignorant cook. or even wretch
ed little general" when once they have
added to tn. domestic furniture a param-
bu!ator, then you may be certain that
the cycle will presently find its way to
the secondhand market and there will
be neither water colors on the easel, nor
new pieces on the pianoforte. with which
to charm the eye and entertain the ear
of the young husband, who. curiously
enough. was caught. perhaps. because
his Julia was such an expert wheelwo-
man, if she did not. indeed, sketch from
nature or trill like a bird. And what
makes it so monotonous for the man is
that the subjects of domestic servants
and infantile illnesses. which never
weary women. are the topics that soon be-
come threadbare to the mere man. But
if he sighs. and thinks of gay Paree''-
and perhaps runs over there for a week
some time-he does 1t with a guilty CON-
science. for he knows that the young wo-
man he sees abroad. who has no house
hold cares to talk about, who is never
dowdy. and who wears her skirts as no
Englishwoman can-because she is not
built that way-and is so quick at repair
tee. and is generally so amusing and VI
vacious. is. after ALL an impossible ideal
"a flower that would soon fade in the
humdrum domesticity of the average
suburban household within a ten-mile
radius of the Bank Of Engiand.-London
Telegraph.
In Santiago Harb0r.
(rrov,, D,,o Sc,,<h