The Washington times., 1908-08-10
BRIDEGROOM REFORMS HIS WIFE
IN MANNER THAT PLEASES
BOTH YOUNG PEOPLE

The bridegroom addressed me in a
mysterious whisper. Say, was that in
tervicw y, Ii had with bride some days
ago bonafide or the Pigment OF your
own imagination he asked.
'It was perfectly true, so far as It
went" I replied. ''She said a great
deal more that I did not dare put In
because I feared she would recognize
it."
1T wasn't my wife talking. was itr'
asked the bridegroom, suspiciously, and
when I told him IL was not his counte-
nance cleared. he made himself COM
Portable in a chair snd smiled a foolish
sort OF smile.
Z thought perhaps you would Ike 10
hear the other side OF the story" he
observed. would like 70 hear how sim
pie II is for a man u learn TO rule a
woman"
I replied that nothing could interest
me more; that had always wondered
how men managed this 50 cleverly. and
that when the method was revealed TO
mo one OF tbs dearest wishes Of my
heart would have been grained.
-'Of course, 1 felt that I knew Kitty
pretty well before We married. he be-
gan. 1--WE had been engaged for a
year, and dI-tlx that time had stud
led her characteristics. I tried even
II en- to Io06 at her without any iilu-
sioas and TO disassueiste net from my
ideals CT her"
'Of course. you found this simple"
Perfectly so, for have considerable
strength of character AID some astute-
ness, and so 1 found even then that the
keynote to the feminine character is
obstinacy-a eerta.u determination not
TO he guided by the advice OF others.
but 70 work out its own salvation
More than this, Kitty-and so 1 reason
her entire sex-dislikes horribly 10 be
found fault with. The moment hint
TO her that she is not absolutely pr
feet. thai moment does she become eX-
cited. She demands for herself, she
SAYS, that freedom OF action which she
permits me.
No Freedom for Women.
Now. that isn't right" said the bride
groom. fixing me With hts eyes 1T
was never intended that woman should
have freedom OF actor. Conventional
ity DEGREES that she must not have free
aAlilA VI teiaNAt4AH ~ 49, 49,
OF civilization"
He paused and looked at me expect
antly and I replied vaguely and feebly
Certainly not" bat the bridegroom
evidently took my reply as an acqui-
essence in his remarks and went en-.
las surely as I asked Kitty not to dc
a certain thing--not 10 talk gaily with
the men friends she had during heI
unmarried days and perfectly reason,
able requests Of that sort-she Insist ed
that ] was tyrannical and jealous
Jealous! Did you ever hear anything
more abSurd?" And the bridegroom
laughed the hollow, mirthless laugh OF
current fiction.
i suppose, however. that you re-
served the right 10 continue TO laugh
and talk gaily with the women friends
you had before marriage / suggested
Certainly" said the bridegroom 'Dui
that is quite a different matter Men
can do these things without being g0E'
siped about, and 50 I tell my wite, but
she unreasopably persists that she
should have every right and every priv
Foolish woman said I.
Was Very Young.
-Oh! but she's very young and has
not had the righteousness OF this course
of conduct pointed out TO her before
She win do better now that I have
shown her how reprehensible such con
duct is" said the bridegroom, com
fortably.
Are there any other ways in which
you have succeeded In reforming her?
I inquired. maliCiOusly leading him or
TO destruction.
yes. / have talked with her long and
seriously about money affairs, returned
the bridegroom. when I married heI
Kitty had no more idea of the value OF
money thar the treasurer Of q Sunday
school No one had instructed her il
this very necessary branch Of eco.
nomics. She had been given an allow,
ance to tribe II away in any mannel
she saw 1T. I found out in no time thai
she had been used to buying a pound Ol
candy on Saturdays and consuming il
during the week. So bad for her teetl
and digestion, you know, and such g
foolish waste OF money"
Your tobacco probably costs ulorj
than her candy did" / put IN.
"Ohi that isn't the same thing at ],
said the bridegroom "a man mus
have his tobacco a grown-uP, married
woman certainly should not need sweets
She should put the money that would
go for them TO some practical use"
I looked at the bridegroom, but h'
was entirely serious. Evidently he saw
nothing inconsistent OF ridiculous in Iii,
reasoning. and I knew there was n
use of making myself unpopular by
pointing il out, so I pursued an unUsua
course for me and kept silent.
"She has agreed now went on the
bridegroom, Ito let me look over mel
accounts and paint out in them sucl
items as I consloer foolish or eXtrava
CANT. In this way : hope in time t