The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-04-18
BY MAX DRILL.

BY MAX O'RELL.
A good cook will be able to put on
the table . piece of beef prepared in a
hundred different styles; just 50
should a wife multiply herself and ap-
pear before her husband under hun
drsd different aspects.
Partaker OF his pleasures and OF his
SORROWS, she should be in turn a good,
careful housekeeper on the sly, an
elegant and we'll dressed hostess in
the drawing room, an intellectual
companion. business partner, a sus-
picion OF \ coqustte. and . devoted
nurse.
Yes. she should be all that. always
interesting, and always cheerful.
To retain happiness in matrimonial
life it is not for a woman a question
of remaining beautiful; it is a sine
qua non question Of remaining inter-
esting.
And to obtain that end her efforts
should tend. None should be beneath
her notice, even in the most slight
and frivilous details, in order to keep
alive in her the interest of her hus-
band.
/ know married women who never
do their hair up in the same way
longer than three or four weeks at a
time. Never mind the fashion. They
prefer fascinating and attracting the
, interest of their husbands to win
ming the praises OF tho Indifferent
crowd.
All this is fair and good politics.
Do not smile, it is true. II man
loves his wife. the slightest thing will
attract his notice. q rose in her cor
sage, her hair parted the other way;
why, newly trimmed bonnet Chat is
cheap enough) may revive in him the
interest, the emotion he felt the first
time that he met her. And all this is
artistic, that is to say, susceptible
temperament.
A woman knows that the very best
dishes may become insipid if served
with the eternally same sauce. She
should accommodate herself, there
fore, with = new sauce almost every
day.
1t is not 80 very troublesome and it
pays in happiness. l know women
who, At night, prepare their hair 30
as to look beautiful the next day.
Just think Of it! The next day! They
should look beautiful there and then.
These women would not dare for q
moment think OF appearing in that
state before men who are Indifferent
to them. If men and women would
not do before each other what they
would never dream OF doing before
any other women and men, matri-
monial life would be a bliss for . life
time.
Now call this frivolity, if you like.
but happiness in married life feeds on
thousands of little frivolities OF this
kind.
Balzac said that. in matrimony,
beautiful nights make beautiful days.
l should feel inclined to believe that
it is the reverse which is true.
Tho meeting, at the latter part Of
the day, should be consequence, the
meeting of two beings, who. after
being interested in each other all day,
see their true friendship and love get
itensified as the close OF the day ap-
proaches, a beautiful comedy with the
curtain for climax.
Another thing.
Familiarity, they say, breeds con-
tempt. True; but worse and more
fatal to happiness in matrimony than
familiarity is constant company.
Everything is good or bad, pleasant
or disag agreeable by comparison. Con-
slant company means sameness, and
sameness is the arch enemy OF pleas
ure and happiness. Besides, the best
tempered people, the most loving
couples, have their moments OF tenn
porary coldness caused by annoyance,
indisp position and all sorts OF things.
Now, in every house, man has his
library, or smoke room. growlery OF
some kind, where, il out Of sorts, he
can 60 and hide and spare his wife =
sight which he would spare any other
friend he may have.
Why should not q woman also al
ways have a room Of her own, a
sacred sanctum interdicted to every
body, including her husband? The
French call that room boudoir "a
word which comes from boulder, to
sulk), q growlery, As you see. That
boudoir should be to q woman all
that a library is to \ man. an impreg-
nable fortress where to withdraw
when not in a pleasant mood to ap-
pear before a husband.
And, also, what . privilege for a
woman to be invited to spend the
evening in the library when the wind
blows hard down the chimney and the
rain strikes the window panes! What
. bliss for man to be invited to spend
an evening in intimacy with madame
in her boudoir, have supper there
with her!
Alb, my dear friends, have separate
apartments always. Never run the
risk OF being obliged to spend to.
gethsr moments that you would much
rather spend alone. Forget the Law
that binds you together. Forget thai
you are compelled to live together.
Always believe that only love and
your good pleasure make you live
under the same roof.
Yes, yes, two apartments. II mUn
sieur wishes to see madame. let hin
knock at her door. II madame wishe!
to see monsieur, let her come dis
creetly to his door and whisper gent
ly: "Did you knock. dear?"