The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-02
DOROTHY DIX TALKS
THE EXTRAVAGANT WIFE.

BY DOROTHY DIX
The Worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer
Copyright, 1920 BY The Wheeler Syndicate. Incl

What shall man do with a wife
whose cxtrnvagance is running him"
asks a correspondent.
II am no tightwad, goes on the
writer OF this letter. II want wife
to dress we'll and live well. l desire
TO give her every luxury that We can
possibly afford and make her gem
reasonable woman's needs, but she
throws money away as II it grew on
trees and as the result | am always
in debt and bounded by the bill col
lector
~ am young man. ambitious to
make a place for myself in the world
and | know that | have It in me to
start toward my goal at the time Of my
marriage, but l have gone steadily
ha edward ever since, To get any
where In business YOU must show that
you not only know how to make money
but to save Il. Opportunity knocks in
vain at the door OF the pennilass man
Big firms do not select the employe who
ia being duuned for his rent, to man
age branch offices and factories.
twice since | have been married |
have had chances to start in business
for myself in concerns that have proved
highly profitable, but 1t took few
thousands to 30 In. and my wife had
blown in my savings on an automobile
that she had badgered mo into buying.
Three times have inferior men been
passed over my head by the firm for
which | have worked for years. and
sent to China and Japan to take charge
Of the offices there, and | know that
The reason that I am sidetracked is
because OF the shabby men tn blue with
their coat fronts bullying with papers,
who thrust unpaid millinery and dress
! maker and beauty parlor accounts at
me every time step out Of the door.
II know as well as II Il had been
put In word that my firm thinks that
man who cant live and keep out
Of debt on the salary ] get, Is 30 poor
ftnancier that he Isn't to DO trusted
10 handle big affairs And | can also
see the big men looking at me IN a
| puzzled way, and wondering what has
| happened to me, how | have lost my
| morale why /, who used to be thrifty
| have gotten to be shiftless and fallen
| into the hands Of bill collectors, why l.
| who used to he on my tip toes, am
! dow nhearted and discouraged
| And | can't tell them that all that
| Is the matter with me Il that ! am
| married TO an eXtravasant wife.
| Il have endured this for five years
| hoping against hope that l could cure
| MY wife OF her vice, arguing with her
| pieadmg with her, but all In vain, a,-i
| have come 10 the conclusion Inst the
| buying and wasting habit Is just as IN
| durable as the dope habit And IN
| fortunately there IL no law to restrain
! a wife from throwing away her hus-
| bands money as there ts to prevsnt hef
| from buying drugs.
| Now / am not willing TO spend thu
! balance Of my days toilIng Ike a slave
| to enrich jewelers. and cabarets and
compilation specialists, I want to have
! something better TO show for my life
! work than q cloSetful Of I'm ported
! dresses and hats That Is one side ct
! the problem. The other is my wife whe
| buvs and buys, and buys. What shal
| I do about IT.
Ny advice to this man, and every
| other man who is married 10 n woman
| who Is not willing TO live Within his
! means. il to get up and leave her
| Divorce her Get rid OF her Just as
| he would of any other business part,
ner who was running the firm by reck'
| less eNtravagance
| believe in every man being both
| generous and just to his wife. | be.
| lieva in n family spending a liberia
| amount Of It's income as II goes along
| instead Of plnching and serimplng every
penny for some future day TO splurge
| that none OF them may I've 20 see but
! IL is lust as much a wife's business Il
! yaye her husbands money as II Is his
| huRinsss 10 earn II, and II she doeHn Z
| do this, she has defaulted on her nar'
! Of the marriage contract and should b.
| dc 20 pay the penalty,
! 4 man il a weakling and = fool who
| let's his wife ruin his life by her eX'
| travagance. and soil him into bondage
| To miiliners and dressmakers, and il
| speaks volumes for the hearts Of n1eT
and nothing for their heads that ther'