“A NICE FELLOW.”

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1245, 4 March 1878, Page 3

“A NICE FELLOW.”

[“Saturday Review.”] The nice fellow flirts and dances to perfection, and is welcome at all entertainments ; but then, unfortunately, he is rarely “eligible,” for if he were, it would not be necessary for him to pay in amiability for social consideration. Ho is an ideal lover, writes the most romantic letters, takes unheard-of journeys to see the beloved one, and coaxes Ins mother out of her best jewellery to give in presents. It is chiefly, however, as a married man that the nice fellow is worthy of a moment’s consideration; appearances and reality are so curiously at variance. One constantly hears surprise expressed as to one lady that she can be so devoted to her husband, who in society is such a stupid bear; whilst the same observer cannot understand why another lady seems so indifferent to her husband, who is universally popular. No one intimately acquainted with tlxe private life of the two households would probably feel any such astonishment. A nice fellow as a husband retains his little endearing ways, particularly in public. He asks bis wife if her feet are cold whether it is summer or winter, wraps her up in the hottest weather, and insists upon her eating when she is not the least hungry. So long as poverty does not make itself felt, things go smoothly enough ; bub then, alas! nice fellows are scarcely ever rich, nor do they always marry for money, as one might reasonably expect. They constantly allow themselves to be carried away by what they are pleased to call love—a seni timent which might by ill-natured people be i described as a selfish faucy. However wa ll good looks and a charming manner may grease ■ the wheels of society, they are painfully inade--1 quate to smooth away the difficulties of making both ends meet upon a small income. The nice fellow is careful to mix himself up as little as possible with the vulgar troubles of economical household management. He proi fosses himself so bad an arithmetician that he cannot add two and two together, so stupid about shopping that he docs not know one animal from another when the fur or feathers ; are off, and so ignorant about expenses that i there is no use in asking him to appor 1 ion his [ income. As to the allowance his wife is to have for household expenditure, he will cuns suit Robinson, who is in the same office, and I who has everything admirably arranged at i home. This might be all very well if be would allow himself to know that Robinson helps > his little delicate wife in a thousand ways, i sympathises with her in troubles which he will • not permit himself to think trivial whil-t they are heavy to her, and without making any fuss , finds out countless ways in which to gild ; the pill of poverty. But the nice fellow’s j theory is that everything comes right if yon I let it alone and don’t “bother.” When his j wife foolishly consults him about her difll--3 culties he tells her that she is morbidly 1 anxious, and ought to have a glass of wine • and lie down on the sofa, msteait of agitating 3 herself about nothing. When there is a bad - cook in the establishment, a nice fellow does b not grumble, but adjourns to the club or a 3 friend’s house, where lie is always welcome, b When bo returns he has a good story to tell y las wife, and, if she docs not seem very much i interested in his doings, wonders how she can a give way to her temper when he finds it :1 always easier to be pleasant. The nice fellow y is generally in bondage to appearances ; he e would rather his wife made herself ill by walking than that she should go in an 1 omnibus, and is move particular about her ’ dress than her comforts. It is disagreeable 1. to him, however, to allow himself to think a that she wants for anything, so ho is always 3 buying her things he cannot afford or wondering why she herself does not buy them. When a illness appears in the household the nice r fellow takes care to keep out of the way, v which perhaps is fortunate, as ho makes the worst possible nurse, being incapable of that r subtle sympathy which supplies ears and eyes ’ and instinctive knowledge to an ignorant per- - son with a heart. Perhaps he does his best t when lie stands at the foot of the patient’s bed and asks silly questions in a pretty manner e which charms the maid, and offers all sorts of g unsuitable things which he is sure the patient e could eat if she tried. With his children a nice fellow is sure to • bo as popular as with the outside world, for i he does not make himself disagreeable by finding fault, except now and then when they - do something personally exasperating. All i early training, and particularly punishment, t ought, he considers, to boiu a mother’s hands, 1 and she alone should be responsible for the f ultimate character of the children, as her in--1 fiuence must be so great. He is, however, j always willing to be the giver of presents or s to arrange little treats, about which he , will sometimes take a great deal of trouble, t True, he never sat up with a child a aiqgio night in Uts wholo UfOj would

he remain in the room with a crying baby. It would be against his principles. Nor yet docs he think it necessary to take any notice of the boys in the holidays, or to make impertinent investigations as to how the girls are getting on with their studies. What are tutors or governesses for if parents are to be troubled about education ? It is much better to trust people, and then they are sure to do their best; everyone dislikes interference, A nice fellow is always fond of his daughters if they are pretty, and very willing to take them about and leave their mother at home. He makes himself a delightful companion, and is pointed out as a model papa. If, however, his girls are ugly arid heavy, lie loaves them to take care of themselves, and establishes himself as escort in some family where there are pretty daughters. We must not, be too hard upon him, lor a really refined person cannot bear anything ugly or ungainly near him without positive pain, not even his own children. Why should he when it is not necessary, and there a'-e plenty of pretty, pleasing people in the world ? A nice fellow never grows old and never gets more stupid than lie was when young. Ho flirts mildly and calmly all his life, more to please the ladies, lie says, than himself. Somehow ho ’manages to retain his early friends and to acquire new ones, for he does nob make ill-natured speeches, and is always ready to bo useful and obliging to strangers. Indeed, the trouble he takes for people with whom he is scarcely acquainted is often a subj.-ct of some heart-burning to his unreasonable wife. When he dies, probably in debt and leaving his family unprovided tor, countless friends rush to the rescue. They must do something for the poor widow and children of such a nice fellow.