The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-10-05
Men and Women
(Memphis Commercial AppeaD

Among all Of The burdens that wo-
man is called upon to pear is none
that can be made SO CALLING to her as
the burden of dependence. Man is
usually in life the bread winner Of
the family. However much he may be
helped by woman, in the economics OF
home life, he is usually the one who
earns and carries the money on which
the family subsists. Whatever money
the wife may want or need ome from
her husband, as a rule. This money
can be given to her in such a way
that she can not only preserve her
self-respect but gladly rejoice in her
dependence. 1t can be given to her
in such a way that she Will feel hu-
inflated and abashed when she asks
for and receives it; in such a way that
she will hate her dependence, will feel
shocked and mortified.
There are a multitude of wives and
daughters and sisters who wear fine
clothing and who fare sumptuouSly
every day who would prefer to earn
the money they spend to receiving it
from the ~ungracious and inconslderate
| hands upon which they depend.
1t is natural for M as it is for
| man, to desire to spend money in her
own way, to be free to choose and
free to ecOnOmize and free to spend
| whatever nay be spent upon herself,
her wardrobe, her household. 1t is a
| delightful privilege to be free INC to
have ones will with whatever ex-
penditures may be incurred for ones
own conveniences and necessities. A
| man who will interfere with this free
dom and who will deny this privilege
to those who depend upon him is
either thoughtless or unworthy.
1t should be his pleasure, his great
est pleasure, if he loves his wife, to
| 1/oon hnr oyorU want Clnn1ia6. Whoro
it is possible. He should realize that
h has her own ideas as to how the
money allotted her shall be spent.
The husband who insists that his wife
shall have all that h buys charged to
him and hen goes through the bill
with a searchlight and with the usual
causic criticism, makes his wife feel
bitter, and properly so. The husband
who places an allowance in his wife's
hands with a smile, with real pleasure
and who watches her appreciation, is q
husband who need fear no genuine
unhappiness in his home.
In the first place, it is none Of his
business how she invests every penny
| nor is it hers to give a weekly account
Of herself. Only the husband pos.
sessed Of a penurious crouch will de.
mand such a sacrifice Of Womanly in.
dependence.
She does her part in life, usual,
does it more consistently and more eff
fectually and more unselfishly thar
her husband does his. He should glor.
in this and should glory in her dig
nifty, in her wifely supremacy, in~he
womanly independence. He shoult
give freely, according to his means
he should give gladly, and be prou'
that he has a partner who can shar
with him the responsibilities of ex
istence.
:, There are t~houghtless men. VIII
mean well but who have an ill-advise'
way Of expressing themselves. The
are generous toward their dependents
, but insist on reserving for themselve
) the pleasure Of purchasing whateve
! the woman Of their household may de
sire.
A practical man will let his wife d
the shopping. He has no business in
Woman's department store. In the fir
place, she secures the advantage c
: prices. she knows exactly what sh
} wants and she is naturally adapted b
nature as a shopper. The mar doe
not permit his wife to select h
clothes, unless he Is too lazy to selee
n them himself, SO why should he as
}, sumo a responsibility which SO i'll bs
comes him?
e Women in sue instances are usy
e ally loaded with dresses and jewelr
e and these are lavished in about tn
same way in which a Turk lavishes b
favors upon the slaves Of his harem.
A man may be generous enough
$ give to a woman the dresses and orns
: ments she wears who is very far frol
l. being generous enough to give h
money that she may freely purchas
what she wants and enjoy a natur;
womanly delight in choosing.
e Let sensible husbands think tn
over. They will find it will bring SUI
shine into cloudy homes.