New-York tribune., 1908-03-08

The Benedict Club has been told all about how
sociological and industrial conditions affect the
home and in due course of time will be able 10
talk as intelligently upon the problem of do
mestic service as any tried housekeeper to be
found.
The Young Mems Christian Association be-
iieves that a real need exists for training men
to know how to acquire and keep home and a
wife Stories are rife of the inability Of many
to do either. Statistics show that men are
marrying later in life and that they often avoid
the matrimonial moose altogether; also that
women showing a marked distaste to unoef-
taking the training of husband.
'If" argues the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation, men knew what TO expect when they
undertake matrimony they would enter into 1t
more willingly At present fear of portentous
expenses prevents many Of them from wedding.
On the other hand, women are more discrimi-
mating in the choice of life partner, and are
becoming very hard to please
To obviate these difficulties the Benedict Club
IS initiating man into all the practical mysteries
of a householder and teaching him that ne may
enjoy the possession Of a wife and cosey home
for the sum which he has hitherto considered
inadequate to meet his individual expenses. At
the same time women are being offered that de-
sirable novelty-a trained husband
"THE IDEAL HUSBAND?" NO ANSWER.
Ask hundred women What constitutes an
ideal husband?" and no two will give the same
explanation Scarcely a married woman but
thinks that, given more wisdom at the time OK
her selection Of a husband. she might have done
better Few mediate that, from seventeen to
seventy women enter into matrimony with the
same fmpetuous disregard Of anything but the
desire for love, for title or for gold.
Some women say that the ideal husband must
be handsome brilliant good tempered. gener-
ous-in fine possess all the attributes of
genius, an Adonis and saint rolled into one
and none reflect that these attributes do not
travel together and that few possess them In
combination.
On one point women agreed: the ideal hus-
band must be generous He must not scan too
closely millinery bills. ask how certain sums
have been expended. The ideal husband should
be good tempered, all assert for who could en-
dure life with a bear:
Then, too the ideal husband should never be
jealous. The eXcitements Of jealousy might
lend spice to engagement, but they prove
cayenne pepper TO married life.
On the domestic qualities of the ideal husband
women differ. Some like husband to go to
his club and enjoy himself, solus and leave
them to gossip bridge at home elsewhere;
others think the ideal husband should be
stant companion ana never experience the least
enjoyment in the society of any human being
other than his wife
Some women think that the man who is able
to order his home and everything in it
except his wife-is ideal husband. while more
of them believe perfection to lie in that man
who lets his wife reign supreme in his home and
rule his every act.
The Harlem branch of the Young Mems
Christian Association is teaching its class Of
prospective benedicts all about their duties
toward their homes and even how to pick out a
suitable wife to adorn them but it hasn't
tried to teach them what their attitude should
be toward the wives they win to wear the en-
viable title of ideal husband 1t is does not
know. and nobody has ever discovered from any
united body Of women, what constitutes the
feminine ideal of what husband ought to be-