America's Womankind.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12637, 25 March 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

America's Womankind.

SHE REIGNS SUPREME

The American woman has solved a problem of th« ages, for as a wife enthroned she proves it not only possible to get something for nothing, but every clay of her life exemplifies what an easy job she finds it. I was amused by reading an article entitled, " The British Husband at Home," and having passed a dozen years in the States, beg an opportunity of presenting some contrasting pictures of conjugal discipline in. Yankee-land.: The male Briton may .be as brutally selfish as he is painted, yet I fancy in the long run his masterfulness works less harm than-the rank spoiling of womankind in America. ■ Let me cite one or two cases to illustrate my meaning. Aly first trans-Atlantic host was the owner and editor of a powerful New England newspaper. Ten years previously "he had married a pretty vivacious little creature, the penni ess daughter of one of his own proofreaders. Their, establishment >vas conducted on a lavish luxurious scale, and in extremely good style. At dinner the first night I noticed that as tlie different courses appeared my friend Beemed anxiouß and kept a sharp organising eye upon the servant. Madum, on the contrary, was not only a miracle of French modishness, but wore an air of .complete serenity, while amusing us with gay, clever talk. Finally, some dish went wrong, and there was a muffled explosion from the master. Thereupon the wife called my attention to her husband; asking if it were possible for any man to feet as worried as he looked'.. "You know," she remarked in airy fashion,. " Charley takes housekeeping much too seriously. It is often positively annoying the. way he frets .and fusses oyer trifles." At this point the editor rather apologised for his distrait manner, excusing himself on the score of having engaged a new staff of domestics, and said lie always found it ai nuisance breaking in a cook and butler " Yes, dear, that's true," replied Mrs. Editor, in a tone of gentle reproof. " But) sure, it is no reason for bringing vexations of the sort to the.table. 'There are other times and other places for dealing with such uninteresting affairs," and, salving her remonstrance with a coquettiih smile, she left us to digest the world-o'd platitude. Imagining in the innocence of my heart that my friend's menage was unique, I studied its workings for one week, all th% while in a state of gasping amazement. By seven o'clock every morning the. good soul was up nnd hard at it. He wrote out menus for the day, then went marketing lor food to supply them. He audited and paid bills, engaged and dismissed servants, adjusted domestic difficulties, looked for dust, and all but counted the silver. I tell you it was monstrous. .The poor wretch confided to me once, that the control of his great newspaper, was child's play compared to trying to please " Pussy" in the housekeeping. When I a*lc»<l why in Heaven's name they did not engage a woman to relieve him of such confounded responsibility, He told me his wife had tried half a dozen paid housekeepers, but none of them gave satisfaction, and she always fell back on. him.

As for " Pussy," I never found out what she did, beyond shopping, dressing, imdl gossiping. "There were a couple of young; children in tho family, and in. addition to the ordinary mirsing staff a highly-trained! hospital attendant was paid five guineas per week to keep a professional eye on tha. health of thefie youngsters. Madam informed me that this was necessary, _as her 1 own highly-strung sensitive organisation didl not permit o! the strain a sudden illness* might entail.' Now this is no fancy picture, nor does it illustrate a solitary instance of the Yankeeman's uxorious attitude towards his mate in America, that Paradise of the "softer ' s? 3 ?. r 'i know a wealthy influential New 'Yorkbanker, who at Easter every year runs down to his Tuxedo house to prepare for? the summer, and in October makes his townresidence ready for thfe new sfeason. Ho • goes carefully through linfen and;china cupboards, examines paint and paper, furniture •! and store rooms, etc., noting'and carefullysupplying any detail that; may be needed. And then only after the establishment ia„ perfectly equipped and'in faultless running - order, even to cut .flowers in the vases, does he permit his. wife to come and approve of Jiis labours. In fact, as a rule,. he persuades the dear thing to take a* little trip to the Virginia Hot Springs to brace tip her health, or a run to Florida/. until the rough edges are! taken off the mov- - ing. You understand her overwrought nerves are apt to give way with "a crash under responsibility or irritation, and tliUt -• hawk-eyed Wall street operator,_ who hoists < the black flag, of piracy in business, is an. i abject slave to the wife of his bosom. Ha* plans surprise gifts to win her smiles, takes an absorbing interest in her clothes and doings, swears by' her beauty, and, poordevil, gets precious little in return. Nor is her ingratitude surprising. With such . enervating indulgence, the women naturally become capricious and, hard to please. The American man is .more consistently Considerate of, and generous to women, than any fellow on earth, arid in no country does lie get sharper snubbing for his pains I remember one very enlightening experience that gave me a look-in upon tho cool calculating way ladies in tho States manage their lords. I was at a country liouse one morning, when the hostess treated us to a deplorable scene of alternate temper and tears because a tradesman failed to deliver a saddle she. fancied. Ab a matter of course the husband was accused of both negligence and cruelty. He had done all. mortal man could do to gratify her whim, but because someono blundered there were reproaches, even a threat of hysteria. Naturally our riding, party was dished and my fingers fairly itched to take that spoiled piece of baggage by the shoulders and while shaking her soundly deal ou6 a few stimulating truths. Would you believe' it, the man who should have put tho lady in her place was reduced to a state, of agitation and despair by his wife's antics. With Ms arms "about her shoulders he led lier away,-and I have no doubt in my own, mind promised jewels by the peck to restore her. to good humour. Now the most remarkable part of thor story is that after dinner the same evening my hostess calmly referred to the undignified incident and remarked that Gilbert had long been in need of a sound pullinp

up. "I knew it must come sooner or later, she observed with placid shrewdness, "Gilbert has been getting very much out • hand lately, and once let a man think ho can be careless about one's wishes 1 and thero is an end of it. A woman you see grows older and less attractive every year, and the one way to tighten up the matrimonial machine is to put the screws on. I (lon'h fuss or cry often, but-when I do, Gillie is apt to remember it. I was awfully sorry you came in for the row this morning, but it suddenly struck me how he would hate to have aii Englishman seo me ill-used, and I simnly could not afford to let the clianco slip!" .The handling of husbands by wives ira America amounts to an, art, a profession, almost ft science, Based on the theory thatj