The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-18
WORLD

makes his wife feel that she can do
absolutely as she pleases. and it al
ways pleases her to do exactly al he
pleases. She gives him the road be-
cause she believes she could have it if
she wanted it.
Another theory that one would like
to see applied from the masculine side
of the house is the personal charm
theory. Women are told continually
that if they would keep their husbands
| affection and make home happy for
him they must pay attention to their
looks, and to those little graces of per-
| son and mind which first attracted
him. Nothing could be truer, and
| everyone of us feels what a blow and
dsillusioning it must be to a man
when the pretty young creature who
has been the embodiment to his fancy
of all that was dainty and sweet takes
TO coming down to breakfast in dowdy
| dirty wrappers and with her hair done
| up in curl papers that she doesn't take
| down until company comes in the even
| ing. When a woman does that, it
| really ought to be Objectionable as OBJ
| tanning goods under false pretenses, but
what about a man? When he came
a counting how handsome and swell he
| looked. He was barbered and brush
| ed and perfumed until he was just too
| sweet to live, and that was the kind
of man she fell in love with, not this
! seedy individual with a three days
| stubble of dirty beard ons his face.
| It's the funniest thing on earth that
man never even dreams that his wife
| can be disillusioned and disgusted by
| his appearance, and is really far more
sensitive to it than he is to hers, be-
cause she thinks more about dress and
looks. Nine-tenths of the men in the
world seem to think that marriage
means the liberty to go slouchy, and
shave as seldom as they can. When
you see middle aged man suddenly
bloom out in good clothes. and look
ing spick and span and we'll groomed
you know at once that he is a widow
er.
1t has always been considered that
the supreme test of a wifes good man
agement was her ability to make home
so happy and pleasant that her hus-
band would never care to wander from
his own freside. She has been told
and 1t is good advice, to always meet
him with smile, to keep the un-
pleasant details of domestic contre-
temps and servant broils from man
already oVerburdened by his own cares,
and, above ALL always to be bright and
cheerful and entertaining in her con-
Versation. Is there any reason why
these delightful domestic virtues
should all be feminine? Surely it is a
man . UuHliltSS u Stlllle JUST DIS IluCn
as woman's. Yet. there isn't one
man In a million who doesn't feel that
he is doing his full duty as a man and
husband when he gives a few mar
uculate grdnts in answer to his Wife's
questions and remarks, and then abb
serbs himself in his paper until he goes
to bed. Pretty interesting and excit-
ing for her, isn't it? Yet, the man who
Goes this complains that his wife isn't
satisfied a nd is mo nj
ing to go gadding off somewhere.
Good Lord, why shouldn't she? Any
body would be justified in wanting to
get away from that kind of a num-
my. If more men would take the trou-
BILE to try to make home happy and
entertaining for their wives, there
would be fewer women so dead anxious
to chase off to the springs the very
first time the weather bureau hints
that summer has come.
Every now and then 1 hear it said
that some man is being ruined by his
wife's extravaganza, and that he can"
not manage her or prevent it. Well,
whose fault is that? The mans, al
most without exception, and the rem
edy is so simple the wonder is that it
suggests itself to so few husbands.
Make your wife your partner. Let
her know exactly what your income is,
and what your business obligations
are. Women are deathly afraid of
debt. Let one feel that she must do
her part towards helping you meet a
note, and my word for it, she will do it
cheerfully and willingly, and you'll
have no bills to complain of. 1t is be-
cause women are dealt with so I'M
fairly about money that they are so
often extravagant. The woman who
never has any definite allowance, and
often no money except a little doled
out car fare. reasons to herself some
thing like this: "Oh, well, don't
care. / give my time and my services.
am housekeeper, seamstress, nurse
and upper servant generally, and
never get a thing but my board and
clothes. and Jack always grumbles
over them, so I'll just get the most
can" 1t isn't very exalted reasoning
from an ethical point of view but
wouldn't man feel pretty much the
same way about it?
Finally, my beloved brethren, be as
sured that the one unfailng rule for
managing a wife is by kindness. No
woman ever yet rebelled against that.
Give her love, tenderness, appreciation,
and there is no question of managing.
1t settles itself. She gives in because
she enjoys it. Dorothy Dix.