ENGLISH WIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XL, Issue 3213, 28 January 1893, Page 2 (Supplement)

ENGLISH WIVES.

■f), ■ The London Daily' Telegraph has ;• * been publishing letters on" English Daily News' is •ifi: ' ' printing corrtspondence under the heading, ." Why Don't Young Men Marry?' v',j;^: ; 'v- ' ;'A cpfresporident signing hiruself ll&j&y Desillusionn|^writes'''As,: a mamed;'mah:,of ien years' standing, I imagine that one .reason .that fj:' young men don't marry is that they &■- hear our moanings Vnd are, scared Jr - ,i ' like the cattlo in a slaughter honse. ' Here are my experiences, which I '}i suppose are not uncommon at the i present day, My wife does not take any/' trouble about oookery, ' except seemingly to make : it a point never >to. have any old-fashioned plain dish, for which I express a liking. ? I dirn ray own socks and I mend .',my own linen. She won't do it; get. it done,' or even allow it ' . to be done, as/happened* some time " > when a needlewoman' ; was in the house and I wanted about fifteen minutes'; swork. She boasts of her |smusio, but never played ; a simple -i '.melody forme—musical gymnastics, •"";\and in ten years I have heard of i|i'nothing else.'' When we went to theatre it'was dress stalls, etc.in returning a constant whine ,' at' the heat, the crush, or the cab's ''foiling*;, and that in a tone that i . ''implied : that 1. was 'guilty of all. I io invite a friend of' i*i twenty-five years' standing, a moral man, she re-: fused—'f.he wasn't -a gentleman!' k'J etc, and then she wanted me to in- ' vite men she knew, but whose morality I knew to be shady. She . overdrove the willing horse. All > women-do. So that now the open'f ' ing of the piano is a'signal for me to IP " light my pipe,, and I gave up the theatres after two yearß. lam of 4 poor sight, and can scarcely read by gaslight, yet if I asked for a game of o:,i ' cards, etc., it is,' I aim tired.' She then goes"; to - bed, l and reads jftV French noyelß,' /fhich I would /not \ ■ consider fit for i me. For making 'V, remarks <oh the pretentiousness -\ h of one of her 'friends', she twice insulted my ' dead father's memory, and when I lost health and a part of my means she ffung % my poverty in my face. As long as - a man can draw cheques for seal- ' skins and satins it is all right, but -I' , when the wolf comes to the door 0 love (if it ever existed) flies out of the window.' ■ Young men see and ,hear of these things, and wisely 11 '•, draw their own conclusions," r in praise of the Australian girl. IHe writes" 1 have been waiting for some more able pen than mine v * to champion the cause of my Aus- *' • tralian sisters; but I cannot wait ;> ■ ' longer, and have them left in the cold, seeing'that as wives they, are bo superior to those of any other part m ' of the world. The Australian girl ' ' is English in an improved form. She ii descended from the best class of

English, Irish, unci Scotch people, who emigrated and have intermarried, with the result that the present generation of Australian girls possesses every virtue that goes to make a model wife, Every one, of them can cook and keep house, as n matter of course,hired domestic labor being very expensive and unmanageable. They do not set the conventionalities on such a high pedestal as their English sisters, the result being more freedom of manner and natural affection. At outdoor exercises they can give the women of other nations points. They may not be so highly educated as Old Country girls, but. they, are generally educated enough to go anywhere, and hold their own as ladies. As regards personal charms, which go a long way with most men, it would be hard to rival them. I have no doubt that there are many charming women in Great Britain, but they are the exception, With: us,they are the. rule. If any man wishes to live an ideal life I should advise him to go to the sunny south marry one of. her daughters, who will keep house for. hira ;irt the most approved style, enter with spirit into his sports, and be always bright, happy, and contented, whatever her. position in life may be. Taking Australian girls all round, you can't boat 1 them."- • ' ■