Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-03-21
DOMESTIC "INFELICITY."
Cause and Remedy.

Cause and Remedy.
Ed. STANDARD:
First as to causes. 1t is conceded
that cause must precede an effect.
In the writer's opinion, the primary
cause is the assumption on the part of
the female portion of the household
of the functions of the other half.
She seems, in many cases (of course
there are exceptions) to imagine that,
by some means of hocus pocus, she
has become the whole cheese, and that
her hubby" is simply a lump of
putty put in her hands to mould to
her fancy; that she has perfect right
to pry into all his private affairs
and search his pockets when he comes
home from town; arbitrarily demand
that he shan't drink, smoke or chew
tobacco, nor spend nickel without
her permission, and assumes the right
to dictate as to what books and papers
he shall read and as to what company
he shall keep. In short, chubby" is
to sacrifice his liberty on the
altar, and If he resents
this intrusion on his rights and privi.
leges, "h-ll is to pay and no pitch
hot" Another cause of matrimonial
" infelicity" is the influence of mis-
chief makers in the form of she-devils,
outside the family circle These ma.
rauders will insinuate themselves in
the quiet home, in pretense of friend
ship, and stealthily proceed to business
by enquiring into the private affairs of
the family and especially as to the
good and bad traits of the hubby"
II she finds that hubby" uses tobacco
in any form, she at once denounces
the habit in the strongest terms OF
female displeasure, and declares she
WOuidnt lire pith a man Uho uses to-
bacco. WHEY may not have thought
much about it, but this sets Ter to
how she has been imposed
upon. Again hubby" may be in
clined to read free-thought or social
istic papers and books, and this again
arouses the ire of Mrs. Meddier and
she declares "she wouldn't have such
papers or books in her house,; as
though it was any of her business
And wiley informs hubby" at first
what Mrs. Meddler says:
OF course he resents this intrusion of
his rights, as head OF the house, and
informs wiley that it is none of Mrs.
Meddler's business what he does nor
what he reads; that he has a perfect
right to do as he pleases in his own
house. and wiley goes off and calls him
q brute.
Now as to the remedy: Between
husband and wife there should be the
utmost confidence. They should be
the best Of friends and neither should
infringe on the rights of the other.
The wife is supposed to manage the
household affairs and look after the
comfort of the children, and make
things as pleasant as possible in the
house. The home is the cornerstone
of the republic, and the mother is the
queen. Much depends on her tact and
The " hubby" is supposed
to be the bread. winner, and he should
be allowed to win it in his own way, as
he is held responsible, under the law
for it. Any infringement on the part
OF wiley as to his business affairs is
usurpation and she is an usurper. She
has right to advise or suggest, but no
right to dictate; and, on the other
hand, he has no right to dictate as to
how she shall keep her house, wash
her dishes or clothes. dress the child
rem or make the mush. To sum it all
up, each should attend strictly to his
or her own particular business, and
domestic inflicity" will be barred
from the household and happiness will
reign supreme. All trouble arises
from meddling with the affairs OF 9th.
ers, as witness the Philippine and Boer
wars and the missionary wars in China.
DUsENBERRY.
The editor is not in the least sur.
prised that correspondent who has
invariably signed his name to his nu.
merous letters to the press, should, in
this instance. use a fictitious signature
to disguise his identity. The assump.
ton that all domestic inielicity" is
caused by some intermeddling woman.
is untrue. There are hundreds of
causes. equally potent, TO promote dis.
cord; in fact there are very few women
who are not able to do their own
thinking, and who would not resent
intermeddling from any source, and
whether justified in any degree or not.
That there are domineering husbands,
as well as henpecked husbands, goes
without saying; and that there are
misunderstanding men, as we'll as strife.
melting women, is just as true, and
this impels us to think that, for q
general comment on Domestic Infe.
licity," Mr.. Dusenberry has taken .
very narrow and contracted view, al.
though it may be large enough to en-
brace within its scope the "she devils"
at whom his lance-point is aimed. It
is hoped that it may hit the mark.
WHEN you go to the postoffice don't
forget that you pass that lovely dis.
play of millinery at Mrs. Eugley's.