How much a wife may help a husband's business affairs was well
illustrated in the case where the wife saved from the allowance of
herself and the allowance of the family, a certain amount of money for
a rainy day. After some time the husband, coming home, said: "Well,
I'm going to suspend payment to-morrow. A few dollars would get me
through, but I can't get the few dollars, and I'm going to ruin." That
evening the wife said: "I wish you would hunt up the definition of the
word 'independence' in Webster's Dictionary. Hunt it up for me." He
opened Webster's Dictionary, and found the word "independence," and
right opposite was a $100 bill. "Now," she said, "I would like to have
you find the word 'gratitude.'" He turned to the word "gratitude," and
there was another $100 bill. And before the evening was past she asked
him to read a verse of a certain chapter of the Bible. He opened to
the verse in the Bible, and there were $500, and before the evening
had passed, the man had financial relief to tide him over his
disasters. You call that dramatic. I call that beautifully Christian.
In all expenditures there ought to be consultation. Do not dole out
money to your wife as though she were a beggar. Let her know how much
you have, or how little. Appeal to her intelligent judgment, and she
will be content, and your own disposition will not be irritated. As
long as you keep a mystery about your business matters she will wonder
that the allowance is so small. No honorable woman wants to spend more
money than can be afforded. Come into consultation with her on this
matter. Show what are all your necessary outside expenses, all the
money you have for cigars and dinners at Delmonico's, and how much it
takes for the club-house and for the political campaign, and then have
her present all the domestic expenses, and then, after consultation do
your best.
It is a bad sign when a man dare not tell his business transactions to
his wife. There is something wrong. Suppose you that the gigantic
forgeries which have been enacted in this country would ever have
taken place if the wife had been consulted? The wife would have said,
"Stop! Let us live in one room in the poorest house on the poorest
street of the poorest town, and have nothing but dry bread rather than
that you should make yourself culpable before God and the law." In
the vast majority of cases where there has been exposure of great
frauds, the wife has been the most surprised person in the community.