ay flannel wrapper, not only actually but mentally.

The woman of charm in "company" is the woman of fastidiousness at home;
she who dresses for her children and "prinks" for her husband's
home-coming, is sure to greet them with greater charm than she who thinks
whatever she happens to have on is "good enough." Any old thing good
enough for those she loves most! Think of it!

A certain very lovely lady whose husband is quite as much her lover as in
the days of his courtship, has never in twenty years allowed him to watch
the progress of her toilet, because of her determination never to let him
see her except at her prettiest. Needless to say, he never meets anything
but "prettiest" manners either. No matter how "out of sorts" she may be
feeling, his key in the door is a signal for her to "put aside everything
that is annoying or depressing," with the result that wild horses
couldn't drag his attention from her--all because neither she nor he has
ever slumped into the gray flannel wrapper habit.

So many people save up all their troubles to pour on the one they most
love, the idea being, seemingly, that no reserves are necessary between
lovers. Nor need there be really. But why, when their house looks out upon
a garden that has charming vistas, must she insist on his looking into the
clothes-yard and the ash-can? She who complains incessantly that this is
wrong, or that hurts, or any other thing worries or vexes her, so that his
inevitable answer to her greeting is, "I'm so sorry, dear," or "That's too
bad," or "Poor darling, it's a shame," is getting mentally into a gray
flannel wrapper!

If something is seriously wrong, if she is really ill, that is different.
But of the petty things that are only remembered in order to be told to
gain sympathy--beware!

There is a big deposit of sympathy in the bank of love, but don't draw out
little sums every hour or so--so that by and by, when perhaps you need it
badly, it is all drawn out and you yourself don't know how or on what it
was spent.

All that has been said to warn a wife from slovenly habits of mind or
dress may be adapted to apply with equal force in suggesting a rule for
husbands. A man should always remember that a woman's regard for him is
founded on her impressions when seeing him at his best. Even granting that
she has no great illusions about men in general, he at his best is at
least an approximation to her ideal--and it is his chief duty never to
fall be