The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-19
THE INTERFERING HUSBAND.

A lady writes: I would like to say a
word or two about the husband who
goes beyond mis- sphere; many married
ladies viii know him only too well. He
may be called "the interfering hus-
band the one who will poke his nose
into household and domestic matters
which in no way concern him.
He is a kind OF general walking ency-
clOpedia on all matters connected with
homework; thinks nothing of instruct
ng his wife to how she should per
form her duties; ne frequently goes
the length of lecturing the general"
on the most trivial points of house
wifery. No true wife cares for a hus-
band going about the kitchen; in fact,
it is no place for man. Yet the kitch-
en- is a kind of happy hunting ground
for the interfering husband.
He drops in of an afternoOn-why on
earth is the floor not scrubbed yet? He
demands an explanation and is told
that the 'missus' said it wasn't to be
scrubbed that day. rf.
This won't do for the interfering man,
however. He hunts out his wife and
informs her that the kitchen looks like
an old clothes shop. Can she not keep
his house in a Clearly state? Is he to
pay for a servant standing about doing
nothing when she might be well en-
ployed scrubbing floors? And so he
goes on.
Such a man is more than a nuisance;
he is an inf1iction, and the household
over which he presides is rarely hap
by one; it cannot be when the man
goes on like this.
But the same individual won't only
NEEDLE with household affairs; he will
also dictate concerning the children
and this no true mother viii tolerate
Suppose the month of May comes in
and is raw and cold. Have the chill
dren stopped wearing their winter fan
nels? No? Wen, they must do so at
once. So orders the interfering hus-
band, needless of the fact that the
mother ought to be the best judge as to
when children should put off or on GER
tain articles of clothing. And thus he
dictates. always interfering with the
wife's duties
Naturally trouble is ever to the fore;
it could not be otherwise. Suppose
such a man gives his wife a certain
sum monthly as a private allowance.
Why, il isn't private at all; she really
has to account for every penny spent,
and a woman of spirit will not meekly
stand this sort of thing long; open rup-
ture follows almost as u matter of
course. 1 wonder if the interfering man
is aware of the fact that he is known
all over his neigh borhood as such? If
there happens to be a servant in the
house 1t won't be kept dark; all his
little pecuharities will be discussed
with Mary next door, and Mary, if she
, happens to be on free terms with her
mistress, will not hesitate to speak of
that man" up the street, mentioning a
few facts concerning him. Her mis-
tress will if she be of the average fe-
male type, most certainly hint to some
of the ladies of the neighborhood about
Mr.. So-and-so and his goings on, and
thus his name is banded about till he
is well known in his real Colors half a
dozen streets away.
The interfering husband, however,
takes up other duties. For instance. he
acts as a kind of censor over his wife's
friends and acquaintances; he lays
down the law as to who shall or shall
not visit the house, and, in very truth,
his wife is sorely tied down.
The interfering husband, in short, is
a wife's sorest trial. A woman cannot
respect man like that. But then he is
no man. and the woman who has such
a husband deserves our pity.