THE MARRIED MAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15002, 25 May 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MARRIED MAN.

BY EDITH HOWES.

The married man is a god. By the word of his power he createth for himself a little world, and by the length of his purse he sustaineth it. To the woman, his first subject, he commandeth as all gods in all lands have commanded until now : " Thou shalt have none other gods but me. Thou shalt bow down to me and serve me;" and he addath : " for I am the source of thine income. Thou shalt cook for me, and run about for me, for so only am I to be appeased. And see to it that, thou betray no greater knowledge than thy husband possesses, lest unpleasantness come between thee and me."

To the children, his lesser subjects, he saith : " Thou shalt. obey me and beware of me, for I am thy. father. Thou shalt tread softly in my presence, and go out quickly wnen I come in, lest thou weary me. Thy nurture shall not be put before my ease and comfort, lor from me come the shekels to purchase thy food and thy raiment."

So the wife runneth about for him and seeketh to please him daily, that so there may be no* unpleasantness between thorn and her income may not fail. She cooketh for him those things which his palate desireth rather than those things which work for the health of his body; she stuffeth him with luxuries, and encourageth him to surfeit. He groweth gross with the pampering of his stomach; he abjureth temperjince in all^things. through richness of food he b&comcth a sick god,. visiting the disquietude of his temper upon his subjects. Then verily is that little world a place from which it is good to flee. The wife increaseth in subjection, for he will not have it otherwise. And his are the shekels. She washeth and mendeth and cleaneth for him ; she appointeth her day, and her life to suit his convenience or his caprice. She hath no say in things. Hence he groweth more domineering day by day. He walketh abroad great in importance, mighty in power. His little son envieth his magnificence, and followeth in his lordly footsteps, demanding obeisance; and his little daughter learneth that for her obeisance is the path of peace. He taketh small part in the upbringing of his offspring. That tedious work he leaveth to his wife, with all those other offices which he hath found • a weariness. " For this I keep thee here," he saith, " that thou mayst do for me those things which I find burdensome. . For this thou art shut in, thy freedom curbed, thine aspirations checked, thine ambitions quelled. ■ I am he who shall - enlarge my life; thou art but to minister to me. Devote thy talents, thy time, thine energies, to the study of my person and my likings, and the best way of enhancing my enjoyment; for verily .1 say unto thee .there is no greater study than this, nor one more worthy of thine undivided care.'' He is a generous god. ' He keepeth for himself only those pleasures which are most interesting and most intense. Those for which he hath no love he nobly donateth to her. She frittereth her little leisure in such simple plays as he hath not coveted and debarred.

" Yet one thing thou shalt not do,", he saith. " Thou shalt not look with eyes of love on any other man but me. That is the sin of sins, for which there is no forgiveness. Thou mayst lie, thou mayst cheat, thou rnayst be little of soul and sordid, and yet thou mayst be pardoned; but thou mayst not swerve one iota, from thy allegiance to me, on pain of outer darkness and lifelong punishment. ; " As for me, I am a god, and may do as it pleasetti me. I may look on many women with eyes of love. I am under no compulsion to be faithful unto thee, for thou providcst not for my upkeep, and thy wishes cannot compel me as my wishes must' compel thee. _ When I am removed from thy sight (for indeed they reproaches are not comfortable to me), I am free to bestow the joy of my presence wheresoever the woman pleaseth me." And he doeth so.

Peradventure the wife hath eyes to see holes through a ladder; yet let her beware how she speak of it. Better for her that she hang a millstone on her tongue than that she complain of. her lord, for all other men will fear the overthrow of their own godhead, and will uphold his actions and cloak his misdoings! Also, he still holdeth the purse, and hath power to make evil days for her and the children of his household". '

Let her consider her steps and her words, and let her say unto her children: " Anger not the god, lest he deal unkindly with thee. Let mo cover thy ignorant doings and thy misadventures and thy follies, lest wrath fall upon thee from the one who remembereth not thy youth and thy weakness. The home is not for thy comfort nor for mine, but for his alone." And let her - say unto herself, "Though I may not longer worship my god in my heart (since unchecked power hath degraded him), yet is it best that with my tongue and in my acts I. offer him unceasing , adoration, that my life may go smoothly, and that in the end I may die a quiet death."