The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-21
Should Be Wives Not
Husbands Servants.
By MILDRED CHAMPAGNE.

r fr y
There are but few women who are
true helpmeets to their husbands, hence
the many cases Of martial unhappiness.
Most women look forward to marriage
as the aim and end Of their existence.
This Is a true and undenlable tact IN
spite OF much that is said to the con-
trary. Higher education and the innum-
cradle and varied careers" that are now
held out to women. that give them pres
tige along various lines. and make them
self-supporting. does not, as so many
wiseacres declare. mako marriage
secondary consideration.
It always has been, and natural that
1t should be, the desire of every true
woman to become good wife and MOTH
err. To marry the man of her choice 49,
then. her chief consideration, but, alas,
1t is often her only consideration. To
this end all her strivings are directed.
From the age Of five till the time that
Ihe has accomplished her sole purpose,
Toes she advance along various lines TO
1T herself for the position she hopes to
occupy. This Is all as 1t should be- ana
aighly commendabe. of course
COMES TO A STANDSTILL
The deplorable part of 1t all. however,
IS the fact that after she has accom-
plished her purpose, after her dreams and
hopes are realized, she is at complete
md utter standstlll 1t never occurs to
Ger to keep on, to advance, to keep apace
with her husband. He Is out IN the
world and has the broadening influence
Of coming In contact with men and ar
fairs. Day by day he acquires new
and valuable information, and adds to
his funds of knowledge. He cannot come
home to his wife to air that knowledge
for he does not find In her a congenlal
and companionable spirit. She cannot
sympathize with him In his plans, hopes
and aspirations. Often she has but the
yaguest Ideas of what he Is driving
at"
She Is engrossed with the cares OF
homo and children. She pleads this as
an excuse for her inability to, under
stand what is going on in the world, or
In fact anywhere outside of her kitchen,
And she believes her husband and the
world will find an excuse for her mental
stagnation because of her mulufarious
home duties.
THE KITCHEN HER DOM1C1LE.
The kitchen Is her domicile. her ex-
cuse, her detioration, and In fact the
cause Of all her trouble. She "dubs'
around the kitchen from early morn TIL
dewy eve. She never finds a moment for
mental improvement, because her time Is
taken up with dish-pans and wash-tubs.
Az a result of this revision of her early
methods. this complete change from tho
halcyon days before she had married and
'settled down to drudgery (and, by the
way, she never tires of comparing these
different periods for her irritated hus-
band), the most pitiable conditions are
brought about.
She complains, and has cause. too, of
her husbands inattent!on and the loss OF
his society. She becomes inpatient Of her
children who are at school because they
advance information which to her Is an
unknown quality, She sarcastically tells
her little girl. aged ten, that In these
days the eggs are wiser than the chickens
and that when she was a girl she always
applied to her mother for knowledge and
advice, She Is forgetfnl OF the fact that
though the child may love her, she can
hardly respect the theories that have
become time worn and moth eaten in the
kitchen, and the only things with which
her mother is conversant.
LITTLE SUNSHINE IN LIFE.
So little sunshine Is cast on this wo-
mans dreary lot that she trudges on
simply from sense of duty, and often
times her inclination, indeed her prayer
when she allows herself TO think. is that
q speedy deliyerance to presumably
higher and better sphere may come to
her
Nothing Is before her but drudgery and
no thanks or love from anybody to help
bear the burden. Pity she gets in abund-
ance, but the thought that she has be-
come an object for pity only serves TO
trrtate her wounds.
Such Is the tragedy that is enacted in
thousands upon thousands of homes So
common are these Incidents that they
must be easily recognized by everybody
The husband. who may have been an arr
dent lover, finds companonship and con-
genial society anywhere and everywhere
but in his own home. lie does not re-
cognsze in the dragged out physical wreck
ths dull, stupid woman who Is his wife.
his pretty, trim light-hea rted, accom-
plished sweetheart of old, He breads the
time when he mist go home and bear the
perpetual WHINING ard complaining that
he Knows will onffont him The children
are dsobedient and dlsrespe ctful the wife
and mother, the household drudge, tired.
nervous. uncompan!onable, with a fate
a. enviable as that OF galley slave.
SHOULD STRIVE FOR CHANGE.
ThM Sad, p!uable state Of affairs need