The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-03-30
The Man in the Kitchen.

Ahe lutSlIerlng husband. Many
married women could write volumes
on that subject-volumes born of hard,
actual experience.
We all know the type. He is
kind of walking encyclopedia on all
matters connected with housework.
lie thinks nothing of instructing his
wife as to how she should perform her
duties, and alas, he frequently goes
the length of lecturing the general"
on the most trivial points of house
wifery.
No true woman cares to have nan
going about the kitchen; in facs, it is
no place for man; yet the kitchen
is a kind Of happy hunting ground
! for the interfering husband.
He drops in Of an afternoon. Why
or earth is the floor not scrubbed vet?
lie demands an explanation, and is
told that the mistress has said it
wasn't to be scrubbed that day.
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 the house in q cleanly
state? Is he to pay for a servant
standing about doing nothing when
she might be well employed scrub
bing floors, and so on ad inGnitum.
Such man is more than nuisance;
ne is an inhiction. The household
over which he presides is rarely a
happy one.
But the same individual won't only
meddle with household affairs; he
will also dictate concerning the chill
dren.
Suppose the month Of May comes
In, and is raw and cold-have the
children stopped wearing their winter
fannels? No? Well they must do so
at onoe-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
certain 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. Sup.
pose such man gives his wife GER
tain sum monthly as private allow
ance, why, it isn't private at all; she
really las to account for every penny
spent, and a woman Of spirit will not
meekly stand this sort of thing long
open rupture follows almost as mat
ter OF course. I wonder if the inter
ferlng man is aware Of the fact that he
is known all over his neighborhood as
such? If there happens to be SER
want in the house it won't be kent
dark; all his little peculiarities 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 few facts
concerning him. Her mistress will,
If she be of the average female 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 we'll known in his real colors half
dozen streets away.
The interfering husband, however,
takes up other duties; for instance, he
acts as 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.
When on this point grant that at
times husband is quite justified in
interfering with q wife's acquaintan-
ces. Being cut in the world q man
is frequently in position to learn
more about the social standing of ao-
quaintances. He hears things that do
not come to the ears of the women at
home.
But, in general, husband should
allow his wife to exercise her own
discretion; what would he say did she
lay down the law for him; and decide
what men friends he might bring to
the house?
The interfering husband, in short,
is q sore trial. A woman cannot re.
spect q man like that; but then, he is
no man; he is always more or less
effeminate, and the woman who has
such husband deserves our pity.
EVANS SHARMACY,S CaNETnpyrr