ON MEANNESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 70

ON MEANNESS.

By C. M. "Are women meaner than men?" is a, favourite query in ladies' papers. As a woman in general has less the handling of money, and as she is by virtue of her position as housewife the saver rather than the earner, she has certainly more temptation than he to parsimony. It is the husband who always ■want? to give the elaborate spread for the casual guest, and it is the wife who saves the tinned salmon for another day or who does not "like the look of tot) much cake on the tea table." Strangely enough however, when any unu&ual meanness cake^ place, it is nearly always the man that is the guilty paity. It was a man, for instance, who, having asked a lady and gentleman friend to dinner, forgot about the circumstance till, some distance from his lodgings, he met them hurrying to keep the appointment. Of couise no dinner had been ordered a-t the lodgings ; but, never mind, said the absent-minded one. they would all three have "something out So they did He ordered three cups of tea' It »v<is a larty ,>f the writei's acquaintance who accepted a ueck's invitation, meant for herself alone, by bringing her husband and three children for a month. But it was the husband wht every Sunday regaled his own children with bags of lollies and fruits while the boys and girls* of his hostess looked on. It was a member of the gentler sex on the other hand, who, on a visit to a well-appointed hou&e, indulged in frequent afternoon teas and strawberry feasts at her hostess's confectioner, leaving the ;imount of these little solitary festivals to be put down to the household account. To come to meannes of another sort,— at a cuy wharf the other day a little boy distinguished himself by falling into the water. A young man went in .after him, and without much difficulty or danger, it is true, but eerUinly to the detriment of his clothes, fished him out. The father calmly surveyed his ie«-cued child. Xo word of thanks crossed his lips, nor any sign of bym.pu.thy for the rescuer's uncomfortable pbght ' What have you done with Bobby's hat? ' he remarked, aggrievedly. This gentleman, however, is rivalled by the young lady who was languidly ordering a yaid of one shilling ribbon to be cut off by the a.-bis-tant, when she suddenly lecognised in him a gallant gentleman vi ho, lai-t year, had rescued her from a watery grave. " Oh ' I did not know it wa^ you ! " (warmly). " Two yards, please, then/ With all her failings, perhaps the frankly mtan woman i& less detestable all round than the generous lady who advertises her extraordinaiy kindness towards you to all her friends- and your own. She" will force on you the loan of trinkets that \ou don't want, and then cackle round to your mutual acquaintance-. " Poor Mis Snuth ! It is dieadful to be- poor ' Why. I had to lend her all my jewellery the other night in older ihat she could make .some appealanue. Of cour.-e. I w^ only too glad to do it ; but ' Then, again, there is the lady who givewith thp expectation, sometimes revealed quite frankly, of getting something in leturn. " I wish people would not give me presents." sighed the victim of 'nrae such friends th. other day. " I really cannot afford it. There are women who would willingly give a friend a, hundred pound*, but would not lend her a hat oi a. hairbrush if they could jjoiiibly help it. Ikib reluctance to

part with small personal possessions, to lend lieadgeai*, opera clocks, etc., even to a sister or n mother, is not a form of meanness, but an idiosyncrasy. The same persons are often very generous in. downright giving. " I won't wear it again. Yon can. give it away, Cissie.'' says Agnes, as she tosses her pietty bat on the bed. "Mrs Martin wore it this afternoon." " But you like her? ' '• Oh, yes, so very much." "And nobody will recognise it as the one she wove if you just alter a bow here " "Oh. it isn't what people think or know. It isn't mine any more, and I don't feel as if it ever could be mine again! I hate lending. When do I ever borrow?" and the dishonoured hat is therewith sold.