The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-24
GREAT WISDOM.
Women Who Are Always Com
planning Sometimes Wonder
Why Husbands Do Not Come
Home Earlier.
BY HARRIET P. SPoFFoRD-
By Harriet P. spofford.

By Harriet P. Spofford.
There are women in the world who,
if they spent their lives contriving
how to wear out the patience of their
husbands, could do it to no better ad-
vantage. If they ever read they never
took to heart that verse in Proverbs
which tells how the wise woman
buildeth her house. but the foolish
plucketh it down with her hands. The
moment they open their eyes IN the
morning they begin to Complain Of
something, and the last breath at light
is spent in some vain regret. At 'reak-
fast they make it unsafe to speak, as
any remark is sure to be eontorted
into offense; they think that the hus-
band need not spend the little time
he is at the table over the newspaper
and say so; they are distressed by the
service, disguised by the disles, veXed
by the children, and fill the hour so
entirely with restless nagging that
when the door closes behind him the
husband is justified if he feels himself
escaping into free air and breaking
loose from his bonds.
That husband is unlikely to return
at the luncheon hour, even if ais home
is within reasonable distance-frae1om
is too pleasant TO be lightly thrown
away, peace is too precious. He
knows, if he does, that his entertain
ment will be an account of headache
or some other ache, for which in some
dim way he seems TO blame, of the
shortcomings of servants, the msdo-
lngs of children, the unkindnesS of the
neighbors, the depravity of things in
general. And that woman wonders
why her husband never comes home
till every other place is closed.
Probably when this man does go
home at the late inner-hour il is be-
cause 1t is needs must with him. He
would like to love his home, to enjoy
his children, to comfort his wife; but
1t is difficult to love that which is un-
loVable, to enjoy that in which you
meet perpetual hindrance, or to give
comfort when the springs of comfort
have been exhausted by long use and
waste. He is one of the men who
think marriage a mistake.
What different place it is where a
woman dwells who never dissipates her
power by annoying others with her
own annoyances! If she is i'll with any
OF the petty ailments, she keeps 1t TO
herself and scorns to go about a beg
gar for sympathy; if she has more Sc
rious ones, the doctor knows of them
the first, for her countenance and not
her speech betrays her. She manages
her servants without resort to supe-
rior authority, and if they give her
trouble she is ashamed to let another
know how far she falls short in her
executive ability. She settles her own
accounts with the neighbors, if she has
any to settle. which is unusual; ana
she would have a poor opinion OF nel-
sell IL her children SO successfully re-
belled that she must call in aid. II
this woman has not enough money
she quietly ascertains if that is the IN
evitable condition of things: if 1t Is,
she bows to it and says nothing; II II
is not, she states her case and her
reasonableness is so well established
that there is no gainsaying her claim
Ana not only here, but in everythlns
else she has her mind, since her aa-
mlnistration has so proved her WORTH
that she has but to express wish, LOT
her husband to believe that nothing
else would answer. For it is written
a gracious woman retaineth honor. Inc
husband returning to this house mas
an atmosphere as clear and pure as
that of summer tablelands; qulet
cheerfulness reigns, he never hears d
complaint, and. so far as his wife ana
the management of his family are
concerned, he would not know there
was trouble in the world.
And this wife who is never known
70 whine, to fret and fume and russ
about tri1es is young when the other
woman is already old. Look at me-
the other one cries. "Old before my
time and all because of my worries!
AS for her she has nothing to WORT,
about" But she might have had u
she had set out in the beginning -
make mountains out of mole-hills, u
let the household see that it was too
much for her, and to insist upon heI
husbands bearing not only his own
burden, but hers also. AS it is, no one
within the radius of the poor. petulah''
nagging creature knows what happi
ness is, even when at distance ieel
ing her still like a cloud; while. on W
contrary, the woman who keeps hgl
trials TO herself. makes light OF niue
grievances. handles heavier ones chee1
lily. and adjusts her own affairs WIZ
lofty consideration OF the right he'
husband has 10 peace within his dooIs
not only preserves her own happiness
but makes the happiness OF all WHO
feel her bright presence or her s"se'
influence.