Now will you rise again and—­squirm—­because I attribute to Eve all power over Adam?  Will you say I excuse Adam’s transgressions and come down hard on Eve?  I suppose so.  But the very fact that you resent the imputation is proof that in your heart of hearts you know I have hit very close to the mark.  When an arrow flies wide we are merely amused at the poor marksmanship; but the closer the arrow strikes to the center the more excited we grow—­either with resentment or admiration, according to our sympathies.

In matters of cleanliness, niceness and adornment Eve sets the pace; and if her pace is a graceful one and not too fast Adam follows.  In due time he acquires the habit of doing the little ablutions and adornings Eve has taught him.

If your Adam is very careless about these matters you may depend upon it that when he was growing up his mother was either dead or careless or tactless; and you may safely suspect that Adam in his previous state of existence was a forlorn old bach.  So be gentle with him, for it will take time to correct the faults of such an Adam.

But don’t give up, Eve, dear.  Be gentle, but be firm and persistent.  Use your ingenuity in finding ways to make Adam want to please you; and if you can look back over a year or two and see that he has improved in some respects at least, that there are even one or two little tricks of niceness which have become almost if not quite habitual, then hold a little praise meeting and rejoice.  Praise him for learning, and praise yourself for what you have succeeded in teaching him.  And if your success has come without friction, if you have inspired Adam to want to please you, then glorify yourself exceedingly—­all to yourself, of course.  If you let Adam know you are managing him even for his own good, he will show his independence by going back to his old tricks—­just as you would do if in his place.  If there has been friction, or lack of success, let it wake you up to use henceforth more of the wisdom and love which is in you.

Now this little homily is written ostensibly to women; but all my men subscribers will read it and applaud. I wonder how many of them will see that every word of it is as applicable to themselves, as to their mothers, sisters, sweethearts, wives?  Every Eve is Adam at heart, and every Adam is Eve; and what in sauce for Adam will prove equally effective with Eve.  Adam and Eve are both green, and growing.  They are the two halves of a ripening peach, brought together by the Law of Attraction or Love because at this stage in their development they fit.  You will be inclined to doubt that every Adam’s nature fits his Eve’s, but I say unto you judge not according to outward appearance but judge righteous judgment.  Now listen:—­Every human being has his manifested good points and his latent good points.  The manifest good points of a man are the Adam of him; the latent good points—­the weak places in him—­are the Eve of him—­the interior as-yet-undeveloped part of him.  The strong points, the good points, of a woman are the Eve; the weak points, where she is as yet undeveloped, are the Adam or interior nature of her.