“Mrs. Alice M.”
We would suggest that you let your affection for your husband work out its own salvation. You will surely have cause to congratulate yourself more if he prefers you after seeing other women than if he saw only you. It is no compliment to a woman to stick to her because she is the only woman in sight. If your husband talks with other women and yet gives you no cause to doubt him you have the best possible proof that you are more attractive to him than any one else.
We think that you are probably over-jealous, and that your husband only fulfills the requirements of society in making himself agreeable to the women he meets. You should do exactly the same as he does—make the most of others’ company when you meet them at any social function, and be more than happy when you and your husband are alone together and can exchange those mutual loving confidences that are so gratifying.
“I have read with interest your letters of advice to others and hope that you will be kind enough to advise me in my trouble. My husband earns fifteen dollars a week, and after our expenses are paid there are four dollars left, out of which I only receive one for spending money. As I work very hard to economize for him, do you not think that he should divide more evenly? I have asked him, and he says that one dollar a week pin money is enough for any woman.
“Mrs. A. H. B.”
We are very sorry indeed to hear that these troubles exist between you and your husband. The question of finances has broken up many a family. We can only advise you to reason with your husband and try to convince him that his own dignity requires that his wife should be possessed of sufficient funds to enable her to escape humiliation when in company with other women whose husbands are in similar financial circumstances.
“I have read your letters to other young women and take the liberty of asking you to kindly answer this: I became engaged to a young man about six months ago. He gave me a beautiful engagement ring of sapphires and diamonds. Now I want to break the engagement and do not want to give him back the ring. Would it be mean in me to keep it? I do not think he will ask for it.”
It looks to us very much as though you cared for the young man’s ring more than you did for him. Did you promise to marry him in order to get the bauble? A young girl who will let her vanity carry her to such an extent is deserving of the severest censure; but we trust that in your case we are mistaken. Send him back the ring by all means! It was given you as the emblem of your devotion. If you do not love him, you have no right to wear it. Do not lower the standard of your sex by such a foolish action.