The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-02-09

and books, and theater tickets on her,
and she naturally argues from these
that they aie to live In kind OF larry
land, where everything comes with the
wishing. PERHAPS she desires swell
wedding He groans at the thought o.
what it will cost, and that he must g;'
in debt for carriages and souvenirs fer
bridesmaids, and a thousand inc;dent;l
expenses, but he lacks the courage
to say to her frankly that he can't al
ford it, and that he Will not DO it. Thi:
does the girl the greatest Injustice,
Sunpose tina. instead of starting LIE
with spender beyond their means,
and tina. is bound, sooner or later. to
end in bankruptcy. the man should tell
the girl honestly just how matters
wele-that she vas merging a poor
man and would have to economic, to
wear made-oyer frocks perhaps, and
do VITA 1naid-of-aiI-wcrk until lie
had time to carve out a fortune fo,
them? Don't YOU know she woul1
respect him more ard love him better
1t IS posnble che would not have tie
courage CT the love to make such q
sacrifice. Then, surely, man missing
such a wife might be like Beatrice At
heaven, daily on his knees, thanking II
for his escape. But the true-heartee,
sslucky, loyal American girl would not
refuse such a partnership. She isn't
built that way. She may be relied on
TO do her part if she is given a chance
| No man has right to complain
that be cannot help his wife's ex
travagance, or that it tempted him t.
steal. It is contemtible confession
If weakness. The valnest, the mo-
frivolous, the shallowest woman who
ever lived will respect the man more
and love him better TOR refusing to LEI
aer ruin bis prospects In life. Deep
down in every woman's heart is d.
rnand that the man she loves shall be
stronger than she is, and have some
sor: of principle that be will not sac
rifce to her whims and caprices-nc,
aot even for love OF her. II could
not love thee, dear, so much, loved
thou not honor MORE" is her uDcor =
~cious motto, and the man who fails
to check the 1ecklessIess Of an ex-
!rayagant wife, has the poor satlstac-
Ion for his ccm,ort that she despises
him for his weakness.
For every life that is wrecked by tie
extravaganza OF wife, and for ever
man who goes to the pc, itentiary be-
cause OF millinery bills, there are thou
.nds who owe their success to some
woman whose prudence and conserv; :
ism is the balance wheel that kegs
,ha domestic machine in working o.
| Ter. Men who set up no false rrt
senses with their wives, who tell then:
fairly and honestly what they can a.
ord, seldom have cause to complain
# their extravaganza. The path Ct
aatrlmony does not lead to the peni.
:entiary, and the way of the defaultt !,
- not paved with millinery bills, or en-
oelIished with Easter bonne:s. The av
rage busiress man saves more none,
after marriage than before, and lie
ponds less on his wife's hat bills.
With women extravaganza is gener-
lily sin committed through ignor-
4nce. The woman who has money Ct
her own is far more apt to live within
ier income than man. The average
business man is pretty safe to have Il
nttle nest egg laid by In the savings
osnk against rainy day, and ste
would do this on salary ON which s
nan would think it almost imp essib:e
TO save up even penny. A woman
who would spend az much on purely
personal indulgence as man does or
cigars In year would be regarded as a
monster of extravaganza, and . a warn
ing to her sex.
No one would set up the absurd
claim that women are invariably Judi.
cious IN their expenditures, Or always
administer their no u sc b o affairs
wisely and economically, but it is
claimed that they do not wilfallv ruir
their husbands by their greed, or love
If luxury. The American wife has
faults, but she is courageous, loving
loyal and willing to do her part in
bearing the burdens Of life. and when
,he is accused OF sending 81 per cent
n any other appreciable per cent. O!
fs.ons to the penltentiary because OF
her millinery bills, shs indignantly de-
lies the accusation.
Women as Well as Men