THE SINCERITY OF MARRIED LIFE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 33, 16 August 1890, Page 1

THE SINCERITY OF MARRIED LIFE.

Some gentlemen had a discussion at their club the other night about the white lies it is necessary for a husband to tell his wife. All agreed that such lies were necessary to make the domestic wheels run smoothly- Women, they said, could never be made to see things from a man’s standpoint. Little matters that were nothing at all to a man became crimes in the eyes of a woman ; therefore it was neces sary for a man to lie to his wife occasionally. This set me to wondering which lied to the other more, husbands or wives. Looking at the matter from behind the scenes on our side, I should say it was about even. I believe wives tell their husbands quite as many falsehoods as husbands tell them, but about far different things. Women deceive their husbands mostly in money matters or in things which concern their family affections. If a wife is held to a strict account for the money she spends, when she wants more then a certain sum she tells the breadwinner it is for groceries or a dressmaking bill. Then she takes it and makes a present to her dear mother, whom the husband hates, or pays a gambling debt for her brother, or gives it to her grown son or daughter to spend in extravagance, which the father does not approve. Sometimes she spends it for the church or her pastor. But she always gets the money somehow, and if she is afraid of her husband it goes down to expense accounts, which appear wholly open and innocent. A wife always deceives her husband where she is afraid of him. Yes, the falsehoods are about even on both sides. But is it not rather unfortunate that those who are supposed to be all in all to each other dare not trust each other.