The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-28
j0c1s of Interest
Eor the zzousewl1e.

All communications addressed to this
department must be written in ink and
accompanied by name and address
Both will be held confidential.
Correspondents will please write the
names of their places of residence in
ull. Letters go astray daily because
he address is given merely as "City.'.
There are forty-five of these United
States and many cities in each State.
am sorely grieved at what appears
to me woefully mistaken and pernicious
advice to young married woman" in
reference to husband opening her. let
tiers. L don't think a true gentleman
would insist on so doing If his wife OBJ
jected but neither do I think wife
that truly loved i'and trusted her hus-
band would ever object. =
have been married twenty-eight
years, and the unwritten law between
my husband and myself from the first
has been-no secrets between we. two.
Often some friend, wanting to tell me
something, would preface it with, This
is a great secret and you must not tell
has always been the same-namely. If
it is anything my husband must not
know, do not tell it to me, for I have
no secrets that keep from him. MY
husband follows the same rule, and has
had many like experiences. From the
first through all these twenty-eight
years, have always opened and read
his letters, whether on business or
friendship. if he was not In the mouse
% Nf ha1
open and read them Is he is present.
He always wants me to open them, and
would be surprised If he came home and
found I had not done so. He very
rarely writes letter but he asks me
to read it before sealing. He opens and
reads all my letters If I am out or
away. If am at home he hands them
to me unopened; and often then, When
am busy, T ask him to open them and
read to me- It is we two against the
world-not anybody or anything will be
allowed to come between. WHAT is .-.e
result? A happy, home-loving man and
wife. NJ. "
rea der who is "grieved' by my views
upon this matter of reading other peo-
pies letters. It has not occurred to any
one of my sorrowful critics that the
perfection Of perfect mutual confidence
asks no questions, has no curiosity 10
pry into another's affairs ana rest con, con-
tent in the consciousness, that Wn aye Z,
should be confided will be told In the
fullness Of time.
One married couple. just entering upon
the forthwith year Of their united lives,
tell me that neither has ever said IRON
ubonn ,s YOUR letter?'' Or, If told What
does he or she say % The husband car
rdes his principle of absolute confluence s
far that he punctliously rerralns from
looking at the addresses OF the letters
his wife gives him to mail, or at the
5nostmarks of those she receives. II shall
NOT soon forget the prideful love with
which she wrote to me OF q season of
| Efarrdhle anxiety through which he pass
ed. lasting for weeks, without allo wing
| her to suspect what he was undergo
ling.
"I WAS far from we'll she said, ''and
1.-The grand hearted, heroic felloW pore my
part Of the burden with his own: Letters
came and went without eaelens my snse
was over. and happily. was II allowed to
know the. truth"
This may be- an extreme CASE give
| It as but one Of many sides OF a q uestion
| that has stirred up several #corresploon q.
dents single minds to expostulatlon Win I11
| my heterodox self. MAINTAIN IN .he
teeth OF protests SuuoA ,
that ones private letters are ones own '1
ana that I should write few to MAJ, Mary OF
| Jano ar emma IL their respective hus-
no ~. awe To read every line Il pen for
tpa ewes Of the wives. letter is a.cor-
a e IF anybody except the person
to whom it is addressed breaks the !, seal.
| t tb', confluence is violated, An open
4 letter.. may i as well be printed,
notwithstanding the aforesaid onst Una, e
/ adherence to an expressed s. psl.ou.
fo1lowing s adroitiys yvorded exception to
scsrfain printed words ct my own to be
i veil taken. The editorial pen went
/ astray, and the guard ian angel to. whom
Is committed the keeping OF the editorial 17l
memory slumbered for the unlueky NM =. 5,
IFpto 1t took me to write s.S haries Rea sN