The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-08-02
ARE WOMEN STINGY?


Queer sort Of question, isn't it? But
are they?
The lords of creation in their selfish
feeling of superiority will probably
give answer in the affirmative, and
they will point gleefully to the con-
demning facts that only women go
wild over bargain counters and that
there are more women misers than
men misers.
But are there not extenuating cir
cumstanccs? A woman writer de-
clares that there are. She contends
that first of these "extenuating cir
cumstances" is the acknowledged fact
that women, from childhood up, have
to do on smaller allowances than their
brothers, and the necessity for "mak-
ing both ends meet" leads them to
watch the pennies with penurious care.
"It is only very small minority of
women who can afford to be careless
over even little items Of expenditure"
she contends. "Girls especially are
forced to practice economy from the
days when they get 25 cents a week
pocket money and no big tips, while
their younger brothers are receiving
81 week pocket money and big tips,
to the days when the grown up girl
living at home has an allowance of 81
month, while the grown up boy liv-
ing at home has an allowance of $50
month.
"Later on as wife she receives her
housekeeping money, which, even with
the best of management, is seldom elas-
tic enough to cover the entire expenses.
Not being the bread-winner, wife, if
she a sensitive, conscientious woman,
hesitates to spend in trifles or waste
In extravagances the money she feels
herself but steward Of, and she is call
ed mean by the outside circle. The
husband, on the other hand, who earns
the money, need account to no one and
so often spends recklessly and gener-
ously.
GAS mother her baby boy must be
well dressed, her big boy must be we'll
educated, her bigger boy must be H.
berally allowed with pocket money,
her biggest boy must be started in the
world. So she has no money to give
away, no pennies to squander. The
penuriousness Of necessity broods over
her. and she is bracketed mean
GAS widow, if she marries again,
her possessions often pass into other
hands. On the other hand, if wo-
man never marries she is, as a rule,
subject first to her father for money
and then to her brother, guardian or
trustee, and even if she gets undis-
puted control Of money it is not gen.
orally till late in life, by which time
the economy of youth becomes settled
into the penuriousness Of old age.
Having to account to others is at
the root Of the apparent greater mean
ness of women than men in money
matters. l have noticed that women,
for instance, who are earning their live
lihood are more generous in their gifts
than those who have to ask husband,
father or brother for more money.
"Of course their are some society
women who have about as much re-
gard for their husbands income as
they have for their conscience, treat
ing both as if they were illimitable
elasticity. Such people are, however,
fortunately exceptions, though unfor-
tunately they often get good name
for generosity which they do not de-
serve, for vicarious generosity is fire.
quently in reality but deceptive form
of meanness, but mean form of de-
ception for it gives away what is not
its own possession and takes credit
which is not deserved.
"rhe average conscientious woman,
on the other hand, is called stingy be-
cause she gives the little that is her
own instead Of the much that is some
body else's. Surface observers often
consider women stingy when really
they are quietly unselfish. The girl or
| woman who takes roll and butter
and glass of milk for her lunch at
some public tearoom, who only gives
her friends small presents, is often the
honorable woman who pays her debts
before giving gifts, who buys her near
est and dearest necessities before in
dulging in luxuries.
"Of course there are women who are
only careful from sheer meanness OF
character, but this disease is more gen.
orally found among the rich. know
one wealthy woman who continually
/ tries to get young relative who is
very badly off to pay for all her cabs
and lunches when he is escorting her
about. Another woman, whose hus-
band is both rich and generous to her,
complains sadly of small expenses. A
third woman. who has several thous-
ands year, seldom has enough of any
dish to allow of even a moderate help
ing all around.
"Certainly there are cases when rich
women are mean from force of habit,
developed by the stern necessity of
former years, and they are stingy al
most uncousciously, but such cases