The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-23

1ul" man. of one who would take greater
pride in his position as the head of the
family" for this limit already had been
reached.
Our foremothers kept no record OF their
ideal man, not even on the faded pages
of those little worn diaries. Wherever
their brief, practical entries go beyond
the details of the household expenses and
the family illnesses, into the realm of
aspiration, it is always in regard to the
heavenly life. The conditions of this one
they considered beyond remedy. But. I'M
derstanding the nature of woman, and
knowing that her dearest hopes, her fond
est desires, are concentrated in the future
of her children, we may well believe that
these old time mothers did dream of an
ideal husband for their daughters and
that, if Interpreted, it would have read:
"A man who will lift woman up to a
plane with himself"
For the past two generations men have
been approaching this ideal. slowly at
first and with extreme caution, but, sat
isfied with the experiment, they have
made practically no retrogressive steps,
although there never has been time
when they did not have 1t in their power
to withdraw all the privileges which had
been granted. With the new woman
hood which has thus developed. the mans
ideals of a wife have broadened to in
clude many attributes which never would
have occurred to his forefathers. Virtue
is still first In the list but before even
the domestic qualities, the man of brains
places an education. The modern man
wants also public-spirited woman,
whose ideas reach beyond the limits of
her own household. The highest ideal OF
his ancestors would by no means satisfy
his own requirements for a wife.
Woman is now, for the first time in all
history, so situated that she can create
an ideal husband and not be compelled
TO accept a substitute, and she has set
the standard far beyond any that the
woman of the past could have dreamed
of. Her very first exaction that he
should recognize her equality of rights,
legal and domestic, would have thrown
the fforefathers into a At of apoplexy and
paralyzed the foremothers but the best
type Of manhood in the present genera
ton Is not at all disturbed by this de-
mand. lie is not like his ancestors VINO
placed their honor In the sacred keeping
OF the wife, but were very careful that
she did not get a chance at the pocket
book Her request that portion OF the
family income be set apart for her sole
use and that she be not asked TO give an
account of the same, does not seem I'M
reasonable to him. remember distinct
ly, however, a case that came under my
observation many years ago. A man OF
large means was very DESTROYS of marry
Ing a school teacher. He paid the most
assiduous court; he used every possible
argument and finally one day. when he
had melted into tears and declared that
his life would be ruined without her. she
told him frankly that she did not like 10
give up her financial independence for the
dependent condition OF all her married
friends. but II he would secure TO her the
same income which she was now receive
ing she would marry him. He dried his
tears. asked a few days to think II over.
went away and never came back Such
an Idea was too preposterous TO be enter
tanned by men of past generations.
The man OF to-day does not md his
equanlmlty very rudely disturbed when
his blushlng bride declines TO promise at
the altar 10 obey" lie has rather more
respect FOR her for not doing Il. The old
attitude OF sovereignty on one hand and
obedience on the other has largely disap-
peared. Enlightoned men no longer mar
rs Tor The purpose of getting a house.
keeper, Or with the sole object % raising
a family Of children, but through the Dc.