WIVES WHO MAKE THEIR HUSBANDS' FORTUNES.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 428, 29 April 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

WIVES WHO MAKE THEIR HUSBANDS' FORTUNES.

There is probably no more striking case of a wife making her husband's fortune than the history of the last ten years of the business of a Liverpool merchant and exporter. Ten years ago he owned the remnant of a fine business, inherited from his uncle, which was rapidly crumbling in his hands. He found, what many men in his position find, that it is often a very much harder matter to revive a flagging business than to work up a new enterprise ; in fact, he found it more than he could manage. Shortly after his marriage to a lady of seven or eight and twenty his financinl position was so serious that he begged his wife to lend him her private fortune—some £l7oo— which to tide over immediate difficulties. She consented on the one condition that with her money she should buy a partnership in the business, and bo allowed to act as an active partner in all the affairs of the concern. Reluctant agreement was given and the deed drawn up. During the following year tho lady visited South Africa and Australia as a commercial traveller from her firm, and, such was her talent for business, she secured orders for goods to the value of some thousands of pounds. Tho next year she devoted to the West Indies and South America, returning with mch a collection of orders that the businesi's credit was found not good enough to make the deal. Hut even this difficulty Bhe overcame, and the business was concluded at a very handsome profit. She then engaged some smart business men to push the trade abroad where she had bo gun it, and practically took over the whole management of the business. Such was her success that in five years she had more than trebled the trade of her firm, and new and more extensive buildings had to be taken. This seemed to give the business a fillip, for it steadily and largely increased for five further years and to-day it is a solid concern counting its annual profits in thousands of pounds and it is still conquering foreign fields of commerce. An eminent artist owes his success artistic and financial, to his wife. When he married he was almost unknown. His talent was unquestionable, but talent alone cannot mako a successful profession. He could not see beyond his canvai, as his wife used to say, so that she took his pictures as soon as they were completed ; in fact, she became a kind of agent to him. She never allowed him to fail to exhibit whore his works would be well seen ; she took care that his name became known, and known only in connection with art; she secretly " puffed " him by dragging him into a journalistic controversy upon an artistic subject upon which ho was keenly interested and interesting, and in this way he gradually became a known man. A* financial matters improved she commenced giving entertainments, which blended economy with style and excellence. She dressed well, albeit she made her own costumes, and easily succeeded to "society," where she pushed her husband by unostentatiously pushing herself. And in a thousand other ways she forced her husband's name, art, and talent upon the minds of those who had been ignorant and were desired to know. The result of all this is that the obssu're artist of comparatively a few years back is making a better income, without the slightest saorifice of art,.than not a few RA.'s; and it is likely he will he au A.R.A. before many vacancies havo occurred. Yet no one could say this lady had advertised her husband in a manner which could seem unprofessional. What she did she did with a tact and delicacy which offended no one ; and her husband undoubtedly owes his unquestionable success infinitely more to her than to his own abilities.

For another striking instance of thi kind, wo may mention the caso of a famous British actor, whose magnificent fortune is entirely the result of his wife's talents and energy. She was an actress, he a mere man-about-town, with mall private means. He fell in lovo with her, aud determined to join the then rather despised profession. Under tho tuition of his charming and talonted wife he developed rare histrionic ability, an ability which was the foundation of a career which has been a rapid succession of triumphs, and produced a fortune not one man in 0000 ever possesses. And the position that actor holds to-day in the theatrical profession is almost at tho top of tho trie, and wholly and lolely duo to his wife.