The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-02-18

his income is, how much he can afford I
to spend for household expenses, how t
rsnsc4 IN lqxnEiss and what portion OF
the surplus he intends giving her for
her own use. AS a rule the girl accepts
what he offers. But should she fail to
live up to her part of the contract. as
many women do either through inab1l-
ity to make the amount cover expenses
or through ignorance in the expend1-
ture of money, she has no one to blame
but herself for any discomfort she may
feel or il her husband decides to con-
troll the cash account.
A man who gives his wife unlimited
credit in the shops does her an injus-
tice, for it is a well known fact that If
she has an account wherever she goes
she will purchase things she really
does not want. But, on the other hand,
| If she has to think twice before she
| buys she frequently comes to the con-
clusion that she can get along without
what under other circumstances she
would have procured.
There are lots of men who are under
the impression that a husband should
keep a tight hold on the purse strings
and personally pay for his wife's ward
robe. THAT" said a member of the
fair sex recently. sis abominably and
disgustingly mean. 1t practically in
cites her to run into debt. What is
more humiliating than for a woman to
be compelled. as 1t were, to ask her
husband for a few dollars to buy some
new handkerchiefs or gloves or a new
II veil? Think what this means to a
somewhat proud and high minded girl
who before her marriage was accus-
toned to a liberal dress allowance!"
In nineteen cases out of twenty you
a. al. I,,,.1 h.
. fuse to give his wife an allowance in
!, proportion to his income is an inveter-
ate grumbler--one who growls about
the extravaganza of women, while he
, thinks it is a small matter to buy
: cigars at 25 cents apiece. This mar
will hand over few dollars to his wife
after an hours argument, and If IL
spite of this liberal" provision sh,
happens shortly afterward to ask for {
new hat or dress he will inquire wha
she did with all the money he CAV,
a her during the past six months.
: Is 1t surprising that the wives o
s such miserably mean men frequentl,
run into debt rather than ask 70
:. money which is given only grudgingl
4 after a lot of unnecessary talk? Their
is no doubt a great deal of truth Il
such reasoning. but when inquire
4 were made 1t was found that the maj
III who had been described as 'abOmina
q bly, and disgustingly mean" had goo
reason for holding the opinion whic
1 brought about the observation. TIL
girl he had taken for better or wors
did not know the value of money.
iii At first he had given her an allow
ance each week. but she proved hersel
totally incapable OF putting it to prope
use. 1t was wasted and spent on thing
that were practically useless, with tn
result that the husband was obliged t
supplement the allowance out of hi
own pocket whenever fresh wearin
apparel or millinery was required. @
course all women won't act so foolish
iy. but 1t is well to recognize that tn
man who answers the question "Shoul
wives have an allowance?" in the neg
| alive probably ras a score of reason
| for his objections, The question a
8 together is vexed one. but it wi
= be found that the man who place
his entire confidence in his wife, ash
ing no accounting for the none
he unselfishly allows her, will enjs
he greater domestic happiness than |
he who requires his wife to ask him f
every penny she needs.