wife meanwhile is working herself wholly to death in the dairy. The
neighbors come in to sympathize after her demise; and during the few
months' interval before his second marriage they say approvingly, "He was
always a generous man to his folks! He was a good provider!" But where was
the room for generosity, any more than the member of any other firm is to
be called generous, when he keeps the books, receipts the bills, and
divides the money?

In case of the farming business, the share of the wife is so direct and
unmistakable that it can hardly be evaded. If anything is earned by the
farm, she does her distinct and important share of the earning. But it is
not necessary that she should do even that, to make her, by all the rules
of justice, an equal partner, entitled to her full share of the financial
proceeds.

Let us suppose an ordinary case. Two young people are married, and begin
life together. Let us suppose them equally poor, equally capable, equally
conscientious, equally healthy. They have children. Those children must be
supported by the earning of money abroad, by attendance and care at home.
If it requires patience and labor to do the outside work, no less is
required inside. The duties of the household are as hard as the duties of
the shop or office. If the wife took her husband's work for a day, she
would probably be glad to return to her own. So would the husband if he
undertook hers. Their duties are ordinarily as distinct and as equal as
those of two partners in any other copartnership. It so happens that the
outdoor partner has the handling of the money; but does that give him a
right to claim it as his exclusive earnings? No more than in any other
business operation.

He earned the money for the children and the household. She disbursed it