The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-05-12
Selrft Mi5rrIlunll.
Concerning the Ideal Wife.
RY GEORGE j. MANSON.

That the ordinary man-that Is to
say. about every man-is extremely
selfish is certainly shown 10y the re-
ouirements he asks for in the woman
who is to be his ife-partner, because
all these qualifications, in one way or
another. have reference to his own per-
sonal happiness. She must be good
looking, abounding in health, domestic,
musical, an early riser, always cheerful
and modest; she must make her hospl-
tality delight to him, and not a bur
den; she must be ever ready with the
soft answer that turneth away wrath g.
and must have her sweetest smiles and
most loving words for her husband;
she must be sympathetic; she must
always try to conceal the faults of her
husband; she must be patient; she
must understand cooking thoroughly;
she must be religious; and, finally, she
must be a good financial manager.
One wife was asked to reveal the secret
by which she had always preserved the
attention and affection of her husband
'It isl answered she, ''in doing every
thing that pleases him, and bearing
patiently everything that does not
please him"
But, in addition to all this selfabnc-
CATION, these virtues and accomplish
ments, she must, according to the mod
ern idea, know something of the hus-
bands daily work, mechanical or pro-
fessional. A prominent clergyman, in
considering the elements going to make
up model wife, seriously claims that
she must study to comprehend some
what the scope of thought upon which
her husbands mind is, for the most
part, severely bent. | he is news
paper man, she must learn something
of newspaper making; if Il merchant,
something of the store; il a mechanic,
something of machinery; if lawyer,
something of law w,-"thus making an
intelligent companion of her husband. -
This beautiful conceit of'talking shop
not part of the time but nearly all of
the time, is purely American.
AS 4 matter of fact it will generally
be found that sensible men choose for
their male friends people engaged in
different vocations from their own, in
order that they may escape this very
kind Of conversation. They certainly
want a rest from tha cares and troubles
o. business when they reach home.
The following description of an ideal
wife, from one OF the ancient books OF
India, shows that the requirements
most appreciated in those early times
were substantially the same as those
that have just been mentioned. "She
should" says the writer. ''keep her
husbands secrets, ne:cr revealing the
amount of his wealth. she should strive
to excel all other women in grace (at-
t"activeness and amiability), and in
attention to her husband; she should
use economy in ruling servants and
exercising hospitality, adapting her
| expenditure to her husbands income:
she should cooperate with her husband
and share with him in ethical pleas
ures, in the enjoyment Of wealth, not
neglecting rational recreation: she
| should be lOtus-likc-a useful, attrac.
tive, perfect flower" 1t is pleasant to
learn that the model wife was highly
appreciated in those early times. St'
was looked upon as man $ trucst frien,
a perpetual spring of virtue, pleasure
wealth: and the best aid in seeking
, heavenly bliss. \ swectly-speakin9
wife was esteemed as companion in
solitude; a father in advice; Il mother
in all seasons Of distress: 4 rest il
travelling through life's wilderness.
According to a Chinese provcrb, {:
! wife should excel in four things,
! tue speech, person, and necdIc-work
; \ Chinese work, about two Thousand
, years old, instructs women as to the
behavior expected Of them. Accord
inc to this book. she must reverence
her husband rs heaven. She must not
hesitate to die for him \ pleasing
| auncLlntn rnlatrl 10 nucnnran nn Ohcli