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Show Kathleen Norris Says: The Perfect Wife Really Exists! (Bell Syndicate WNU Service.) In a worried time she was never at a loss for surprises, kindnesses, discoveries discover-ies of the first spring flower, or a good book, or a new little dish for my tray. By KATHLEEN NORRIS HOW near are you to being a perfect woman? wom-an? This is a fascinating question, ques-tion, and the answer to it may suggest to you a fascinating occupation. It may amuse you and keep you busy and happy for years trying to turn PERFECT WIFE Almost all wives are very nice women in many ways, but Kathleen Norris is told about one wife that is "perfect." An appreciative husband hus-band writes Miss Norris, telling her about his wife, and how thoughtful, kind and generous she is. His letter let-ter offers a "measuring stick" for women everywhere to test themselves them-selves and see how high or low they rate. Why not make this little test yourself? yourself into a perfect woman. wom-an. A man's letter suggested this idea. He writes me that he has the perfect wife. They have been married seventeen years; they aren't rich or famous or young any more; they're both close to forty. But his letter makes thrilling reading, and I pass it on. A Tough Beginning. "We had to wait seven years for our happiness," he writes. "They were long years, and sometimes discouraging dis-couraging years. Dee was taking care of her mother, a helpless invalid, in-valid, and teaching school as well There seemed to be no reason why she might not be so held for mn ! human being I ever knew. You hear the other side; you write of divorces and problems, mean mothers-in-law, money troubles, faithless husbands extravagant and discontented wives. But there are a lot of us on the other side of the picture; men and women who through the trials and changes of many married years have only come the more sincerely and truly to love and need each other." That's the letter. It did my heart good. The writer did not give me his address, but I hope his Dee will see this column and know that she is appreciated. How Would You Rate? How close to her measure would you come, if your husband wrote a letter describing you? What char- a letter describing you? What characteristics char-acteristics would you select u you were choosing those of the perfect wife? What 10 would come first' Well, perhaps first of all a woman should be gentle. She should have a sense of humor. She should be capable, a good manager of home nursery and budget. She should be neat about herself and her belongings. belong-ings. She should be prompt Affectionate. Af-fectionate. Economical. Patient. Imaginative. Cheerful This is a big order. Most women never stop even to consider these' qualities much less to ask them- selves a they happen to possess hem Many women resent the idea hat they could change; they are as they are with no need for change You know me," they say com-Placently. com-Placently. "when anyone tries , o p" , get it! Or, "Jim's mnthpr years. I was in medical school, with the hope that a hospital appointment might some day pay me $75 a month. "When Dee was 28 and I 30 however, I was offered a position in a small country town, with $100 a month and free rent guaranteed. At the same time an aunt of Dee's was widowed, and came to live with her mother, and we persuaded the d !et Us turn stairs floor of the home into a flat The I Wc $35 and we sent them an-other an-other $35 and they managed easily We went at once to our own home, and I took up my clinic duties Ubleanrt 7 Wif6,kePt 3 WonderfuI table and we could entertain sim- Ply on her food allowance of $25 a month. Presently I began to get an ounfed c:r or two; 6Ver d- X.!.r.,tal We "ever nlra' 01 cse, but we never had any sense of anxiety or scrim" stnd7nggem,e' 'hetic,Uun. "I think gentleness is Dee's out standing characteristic. She is a " ways neat and frPh i '" and adequate aXte -utyhmer7 standing characteristic is Sief hT Tg r up ' ful. genU,e.b0ir,lent-,h0Ueht Always Sees the Bright Side. Dee never will have a hin standing debt. w J- .lU or a him in, m S mother "' him for 25 years. Well, he doesn't get any more of THAT! I've g t good hot temper of my own ,.' U. about time Jim BJ Other women tell you prott.lv tint hey are always late fo.hi, . j does make poor Bob so mad- O hey re very poor cooks; Mama , d she never wanted her girl, to i in any man's kitchen n h V Wives in N.m.,. r..i.. go on short rati,. y nave to she BB.l'ftfs,,WhiIe' but er's final Htaes, aVer m'h-had m'h-had doctors and i!, g 0ne; we managed to ml MS' but D den to do au we could than a bur" tiva1sagParties, fes- ried time-forlhadaf 3 Wor' ness-she was never "f surprises, kindnesses Hi SS for 'he first sprinflof e' book, or a new littl V ! 8 good tray. Our little km fr my her brothers Jg ' co.ming when Some wives save all ilm h ' extravacant . cn' M;,ny "re band serving hem,';0mCn,,d ,U'S- ground for VJn t f 8 back" beantv i Lonstat trips to the : Ue frock shops Puis sVm dyT8 i T 7 man she married , ,C!'d f tne rlly wit 'Se h ' Whole dcvol inn r'lmilv- f Whose th !, rCV,tlon eocs to her child. And almost blind. Norrn-i ' WaS born first two years heJ Z lu"0"' for h eyes for her nP " had to be her bitter worry neVerShowcd me "Her home S T' tired-music tired-music and UuXCnVand meals and happy ,3 a"d happy we are te coziest f -1 , winter In summer Dee's h7 y tow"-has tow"-has our .ife ardc an oak. For vacni 1 ' und three-room lake S f hnve . who has done aU Ving wm" hildren i, course, but .t ,rcjllv wrong, of less, if onyyBoCb''f'm;,Al,d so harm-"lusly harm-"lusly jea,0WOUUI,l tbesoridic. venicTworf05 a,' C""sld"1 w s;i;dei- . have our Which is perriTllv , 11 s refres, , f 0"'- A',d breeze to h,..,r 3 a "i""'"" n who b, ci c7l,,i"U,!,0, ' and her own II , ,"d cll'co s hlfih a u7rh- reached ment that t , " lu,m"" develop. with her T7'v"" W'H' ,lvud P-rfoct. y '"'s s,i" "'His her |