but all this is usually settled in married life by the natural order of things.  Even in regard to the management of children, where collision is likely to come, if anywhere, it can commonly be settled by that happy formula of Jean Paul’s, that the mother usually supplies the commas and the semicolons in the child’s book of life, and the father the colons and periods.  And as to matters in general, the simple and practical rule, that each question that arises should be decided by that partner who has personally most at stake in it, will, in ninety-nine times out of a hundred, carry the domestic partnership through without shipwreck.  Those who cannot meet the hundredth case by mutual forbearance are in a condition of shipwreck already.

ASKING FOR MONEY

One of the very best wives and mothers I have ever known once said to me, that, whenever her daughters should be married, she should stipulate in their behalf with their husbands for a regular sum of money to be paid them, at certain intervals, for their personal expenditures.  Whether this sum was to be larger or smaller, was a matter of secondary importance,—­ that must depend on the income, and the style of living; but the essential thing was, that it should come to the wife regularly, so that she should no more have to make a special request for it than her husband would have to ask her for a dinner.  This lady’s own husband was, as I happened to know, of a most generous disposition, was devotedly attached to her, and denied her nothing.  She herself was a most accurate and careful manager.  There was everything in the household to make the financial arrangements flow smoothly.  Yet she said to me, “I suppose no man can possibly understand how a sensitive woman shrinks from asking for money.  If I can prevent it, my daughters shall never have to ask for it.  If they do their duty as wives and mothers they have a right to their share of the joint income, within reasonable limits; for certainly no money could buy the services they render.  Moreover, they have a right to a share in determining what those reasonable limits are.”

Now, it so happened that I had myself gone through an experience which enabled me perfectly to comprehend this feeling.  In early life I was for a time in the employ of one of my relatives, who paid me a fair salary but at no definite periods:  I was at liberty to ask him for money up to a certain amount whenever I needed it.  This seemed to me, in advance, a most agreeable arrangement; but I found it quite otherwise.  It proved to be very disagreeable to apply for money:  it made every dollar seem a special favor; it brought up all kinds of misgivings, as to whether he could spare it without inconvenience, whether he really thought my services worth it, and so on.  My employer was a thoroughly upright and noble man, and I was much attached to him.  I do not know that he ever refused or demurred when I