The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

hold matters about which they know and
ought to know nothing. 1t is. indeed. almost
a sine qua non of domestic felicity that a
man. even a newly married one. should be
absent from home at least six hours In the
day. Jones asked his wife. "why is a hus-
band like dough?' He expected her to give
1t up. and he was going to tell her that it
was because a woman needs him: but she
said that 1t was because he was hard to
get off her hands. People should begin
their married life by burning up in the fire
of their present ardent feelings all 'fads'
and little ways that are disagreeable to
each other. Like government marriage
must be a series OF compromises. Where
principle is not involved. husband and wife
should be willing to yield. however new 1t
may be to them. however different from
what they themselves thought. Self must
be sacrificed in order thereby to gain the
help Of another beloved existence. And the
habit Of doing this. II it is to be formed
at all. must. as a rule. be formed during
the first year Of married life.
Couples Should Start the Matri-
mOnial Firm in Their Own Homes.
No matter how poor they are. people
should start the matrimonial firm in some
thing they can call a home Of their own.
Many a marriage has turned out a dismal
failure because from false economy or some
other motive two families have attempted
to live together as IL they were one. The
best way of keeping friends with ones rela-
tons-in-law is not to see too much of them,
especially during the first year. Sydney
Smiths definition Of marriage is well
known: 1T resembles a pair of shears SO
Joined that they cannot be separated. often
moving In opposite directions, yet always
furnishing any one who comes between
them" Certainly those who go between
them deserve to be punished. and, however
they may differ in other respects, married
people. especially during the first year,
should agree to protect themselves against
the well-meant. perhaps. but injudicious in
reference of friends. It Is quite possible
TO be happy in a small house, but married
life should not be begun in one that is in
sanitary. We ought never to attempt to
economize at the expense of health.
During the first year the young people
have to settle the scale of domestic econo-
my upon which they propose to live. This
can be more easily raised afterwards than
lowered. so 1t should be pitched below
rather than above the mark at first. A
young husband drew his wife to his side
and said in that tone of exultation which
comes only to the supremacy happy: Tell
me. dearest, how you managed to live this
month within your allowance 1T was so
easy" she murmured. "And now that 1
have done 1t once 1 wonder why / never
thought Of 1t before. 1 find. dear. that in
almost every instance / could get things on
credit"
This getting things on credit Is q snare
and a delusion. From the first a wife
should form the habit Of paying her bills
every week, for 1t Is only very rich people
who can AFFORD to have their names in the
books Of tradesmen.
1t Is true that many a poor wife is not
given by her husband money to do this. nor
even told how much his actual income is.
There are men who say to the women they
marry: with all my worldly goods I thee
endow." and afterwards their wives find
It difficult to get enough money to buy a
postage STAMP The man who respects his
wife does not turn her into a mendicant:
he gives her q purse of her own. Money is
not essential to happiness, but happy peo-