The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-26
THE AMERICAN WIFE.
Is This q True Picture Of Her Attitude
Toward Her Husband:
From Atrsiees

FItU' +7''elet ~
But the American wife? Henry James
has summed up the American wife in Just
one sentence. He says. The American wife
knows nothing OF her husbands Affairs
except that they are OF not the slightest
consequence
This is both epierammatic and exactly
true. The American wife has quite a genuine
affection for her husband, Even after years
OF marriage have gone b., she thinks OF lin
with unaffected friendllness. lie ia 9, useful
SNe credits him With almost all TIC virtues.
except perhaps the Writ ue of bein x interesting
and she overlooks that one defect OF his
with "Naritable federation Size sees him
conc an go each day with clock-like rsgu-
lar.ty. q, e vaguely knows VIII; is pro-
session or vocation IL She thinks better Of
him if IL is a profession or vocation that Is
generally regarded as quite oreditab.e but
this Is practically all she knows or cares
about It. She sees hin, rising carly ard hurry
inc 70 his office. Size hears him sitting late
into tie night in the room overhead. and she Is
probably aware that 10 IS immersed In
kind or OF er--tresome and stupid things
Tat he will persist III bringing home aud
fussing over.
$ e finds that he must sometimes stay
In town all through the summer when tho
thermometer Is ia the nineties and wren
STYLES on the pavement 5 = thinks Il very
lnconsideratc OF him to do this, SIe would
really rdtNef nave MA 80 Nl'h nci 70 tfc
cool. wind swept nook that she selects Cor
her own strnmcr's outing just why nl t.or =
not 60 cam = pu-S ibv imr"i"".
N is one Of the curious, irra'iOnsl traits
which he poss ssrs and which prevents her
from taking him puitc s'rioJ-lr. P'rhap,
he will run mp there for day OF two. and
when M docs como sho is very nice 10 hitu,
apart from scolding him a little for getting
so hdcousiy thin and sailoH But he IL not
her mccklr into the dining room three times
a dav for while. and then h" has to 20 back
to v hatrv"r Il Is that he does Ia town Inst
what u t. Shr do IA know The household
bills ere paid th" checks come 10 her reg l.
larry. She does IN" things sh" likes TO do.
and sometimes dimly rcCogni - the f. {
that 1t il PLEASANT TO have somebody TO
ali come " So NICELY Her husband /. really
q II. What . husband ought To hc. IL does
his Il " perfectly. and she has IL very accIr-
At notion oil what that duty il. To provide
whatever rhn requires, 10 fetch and carry
OF her bidding. 10 leave h'r absol tey
FREQ from care. responsible, or worry
srch j. the whole duty Oi the American
husband
and then. she i so very sure OF biin' 1t
never enters her head that he has any
thing to wish Tor, that hr can rus~ihl, -"
CunS0i los OF "A void Somewhere ~ lite, oT
cNp'ri"ucc even the fsintcst stirring OF dis
sat isfa' ton: that he CO.. Id ever ina ginc
anything different from what he has. that
b. might ever dream of an existence whore
hold banker. Il glori1"d butler. n superior
mritre dhot"l she j. ahrol ltelY salts led
With herself SHd absolltc sure Of him.
Sh" does not want another hind OF husband,
80 why should H. desire = dilercnt sort %
plfei