The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-01-24
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
cumstances? A woman writer de-
clares that there arc. She contends
that first of these "cxtcnuating cir
cumstanccs" 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 he careless
over even little items of expenditure, y
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
living at home has an allowance of
$50 q month.
"Later on as wife she receives her
housekeeping money, which, even with
the best of management, is seldom
elastic enough to cover the entire
expenses. Not being the bread win
ner, a wife, if she is sensitive, con-
scientious woman, hesitates to spend
in trifles or waste in extravagances the
money she feels herself but steward Of,
and she is called mean by the outside
circle. The husband, on the other
hand, who earns the money. needs
account to no one and so often spends
recklessly and generously.
Gas a mother her badly boy must be
we'll dressed, her big boy must be we'll
educated, her bigger boy must be
literally 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 rule,
subject first to her father for money,
and then to her brother, guardian or
a 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 meanness of
women than men in money matters.
l have noticed that women for instance,
who are earning their livelihood are
more generous in their gifts than those
who have to ask husband, father or
brother for more money.
"Of course there 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 of illimitable
elasticity. Such people are, however,
fortunately exceptions, though un-
fortunately they often get a good name
for generosity which they do not de-
serve, for vicarious generosity is fire.
quently in reality but a deceptive form
of meanncss, but mean form of de-
ception for it gives away what is not
its own possession and takes a credit
which is not deserved.
"The average conscientious woman,
on the other hand, is called stingy be-
cause she gives little that is her own
instead of the much that is somebody
elsc's. Surface observers often con-
slider women stingy when really they
arc quietly unselish. 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 nearest and dearest neces-
sites before indulging in luxuries.
"Of course there are women who
are only careful from sheer mcanness
OF character, but this disease is more
generally found among the rich.
know one wealthy woman who con-
tinua.ly tries TO get young relative
who is very badly off to pay for all
her cabs and luncheons when he is
escortng her about. Another woman
whose husband is both rich and gen.
erous to her, complains sadly of small
, expenses. A third woman, who has
several thousands year, seldom has
enough Of any dish to allow Of even a
moderate helping 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