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Show Kathleen Norris Says: New Wives for Old Bell Syndicate. WKO Feature. "Edit says, 'Auntie, don't send By KATHLEEN NORRIS HERE'S a variation of the postwar marital situation; it comes from a Canadian mother who feels herself faced with an in soluble problem. I don t think it so difficult, but then I don't know the persons involved. I don't know how strong or how weak Alan Stairs is, nor how attractive or how inadequate ij his wife, Edith. Alan and Edith met In 1942 at a dance. Edith was a telephone oper ator; Alan was 2,000 miles away from home, and all ready to go overseas with the army. Both were H Three weeks after they danced together they were married; Alan hid another month before sailing, a friend lent them a delightful sea- ihore cottage and they had a happy honeymoon. Then Alan went away; Edith worked on for five months, tnd then because she was an or- n without money wrote Alan's mother and went west to the family. Her daughter, Daphne, was born and the two women lived on to-jether, to-jether, Edith working again, Alan's mother continuing to take a few boarders and caring for the baby ben Edith was away. jf'Edie was a weak, tearful little Bng when she came here," writes Muriel Stairs. "I hadn't wanted Alan to marry at all, at his age, and hadn't welcomed her too warmly. warm-ly. But as the months went by, and especially when exquisite little Daphne came, I began to be very fond of her, and now I may truly ay that I love her, and she depends de-pends upon me. fThree months ago a letter came from Alan, in Scotland, asking for i divorce. Edie was hysterical with shock, and afterwards went into a real illness. I wrote Alan that he oust come home at once, and he did. He has grown into a different being, strong, brown, firm. We hardly hard-ly know him. He shows no sign of interest in Daphne. He has not spent i night here, staying at the hotel. Edie is crushed and continually in tears. i Wants American Nurse. !"Alan wants to marry an Amer- inn girl who went to England as nurse. He owns the house in which I live and says they will live here. S wants me to influence Edie to rake these changes easy for him, and says he will send her 12 pounds i month, generous enough, as he '4! no job now, but she and the toby cannot live on that. Alan is splendid, eager, ambi- stous, more loving with me than he 1 ever been. He is my only child, "d I am a widow. It Is hard for at to live with little helpless Edie, W take her side against my son, 'specially as he and his new love, 3ose, wants to use this big house 1 a sanitarium for children and a full of plans. If I advise Edie 4 divorce him, what becomes of and the baby? If I advise ainst it, Alan may easily make 1 impossible for me to live on here, "be and Rose carry out their plan. 1 tne other hand, I could be in element here, for I was once a :srse, have kept up with my profes-and profes-and would have the one-room Wage back of the house as my n home. Rose, it appears, has ie money, and would be able to the sanitorium undertaking at Edie says, 'Auntie, don't send nd my baby away.' Alan says, a it up for me, mother, and fix It UP in a hurry. Edith and I never rightful mates. Let's save what can from the wreck.' What shall So?" Sb is continually in tears , , V &! V lr , fa me and my baby away.' 'SOMEBODY BETTER' So many of the war mar-riages mar-riages now seem a "mistake." Tbis is especially true of the teen-age unions. The serviceman service-man has been away and bos matured rapidly and profoundly. profound-ly. His wife does not interest bim any more. He must have someone more exciting and glamorous. If a child bos been born while be was away, be finds the little one a source or irritation. Tbis is the situation described in the letter Miss Norris answers an-swers in today's article. Alan Stairs, a Canadian soldier, married mar-ried Edith when both were 19. They bad known each other only three weeks. After a month's honeymoon Alan was sent overseas. Edith went to live with his mother, Muriel. The two women became very fond of one another, especially after the baby, Daphne, was born. This happy little household was shattered by a letter from Alan, asking for a divorce. He said that be had met an American Ameri-can nurse whom he wanted to marry. His mother asked bim to come home and he did. Seeing See-ing Edith and his baby did not change bis resolve, however. He is putting pressure on his mother to influence Edith to consent to a divorce. The answer to this is shopworn by this time. Alan is one not of hundreds, hun-dreds, but of thousands of young husbands who have wanted a complete com-plete re-deal upon coming home. He has lived in another world for more than two years, he comes back to the old world disillusioned and changed. It Doesn't Work. Of course It would be pleasant, or it seems so, if a man could shift off a wife after a few weeks' honeymoon, honey-moon, disclaim all responsibility for her and her child, and blandly plan a different sort of living with a more exciting mate. But all sorts of civilizations have found that that doesn't work. That marriage isn't just a matter of a honeymoon. That girls who cheerfully cheer-fully discuss marrying men who are already husbands and fathers don't turn out themselves to be particularly particu-larly good wives. That a baby girl has her little rights, too. Russia had easy divorce 20 years ago. It was only necessary to say that it was desired, and the fact was accomplished. One man under 30 told my brother blandly that he has been married 22 times. But that's all changed now. There are basic values that have to be preserved, pre-served, not for any ephemeral ideal of honor or fairness, but as a foundation foun-dation for solid human happiness. Let Alan give Edith another year or two; that's not too much, at 22. Let him take his place in his old community, standing by his mother, his wife and his child. He can't lose by this plan. When Daphne is of school age, Edith can find work again. In these years she' can prepare pre-pare herself for that work. But the chances are that normal home life, old friends, picnics, dances, movies mov-ies and the charms of Daphne will work the old miracle. Alan's escape will be not away from his own people, peo-ple, but from his own weakness and folly. Chestnuts Scarce Now Members of the older generation have a feeling of nostalgia when they recall the joys that went with gathering chestnuts after the first heavy frosts had opened the burrs of the brown and savory nuts. Raw or roasted, chestnuts always tasted good, and when used in stuffing stuff-ing the holiday turkey, the results were excellent But about 40 years ago a deadly blight imported from China struck our chestnut trees, killing practically practical-ly all of them. Released by Weatera Newspaper Union. By VIRGINIA TALE WHEN Mercedes McCam-bridge McCam-bridge was screen-tested for "little Women," her friends thought she'd fit the role of "Jo," but it was "Meg" she was considered for, which certainly doesn't seem right for her. She's got them puzzled on another count; Mercedes, Mer-cedes, who's always solving problems prob-lems on "Big Sister," does it In her dreams when she has to take an anesthetic. Has the dream so many of us have thinks she knows the answer an-swer to what life Is all about The last time, the dentist said she shout- MERCEDES McCAMBRIDGE ed "I know now. Please remind me to tell you." But the gal who does so well on so many air shows, in eluding "Grand Central Station," never can remember what she learned in her dream, to her friends' annoyance. , James Baskett owes his film de but in Walt Disney's RKO released "Song of the South" to the fact that the "Amos 'n' Andy" program came to Hollywood. Hearing that Disney wanted someone for "Uncle Remus," Baskett made a recording; when Disney heard it, the 41-year-old Baskett, Bas-kett, who's "Gabby Gibson" on the air, got the job. He also doubled for the voices of the butterfly and "Br'er Fox." Joyce Reynolds, who received s leave of absence from Warner Bros. eighteen months ago to marry Ma rine Lt. Robert Lewis, has returned to the fold, and will star with Rob ert Button in "The Wallflower." She was last paired with him in "Janie." ' ' . Skinnay Ennis, of the Abbott and Costello Show, got his best break because a friend got a bad one. Saxy Dowell was vocalist of Hal Kemp's band, Ennis was drummer. When Dowell fell and broke his hip, Kemp literally forced Skinnay to get out and sing and was the bashful, scared Mr. Ennis amazed when the girls went "Wheel" over his breathy, confidential style! (Note: He's no longer bashful!) If Vali, the Italian actress, arrives in time she will make her American screen debut in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Paradine Case," working with Ethel Barrymore, Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Louis Jourdan, Charles Laughton and Charles Coburn. According Ac-cording to United Artists, she Is Italy's greatest dramatic actress; she won the equivalent of our Academy Acad-emy Award for her work in "Piccolo "Pic-colo Mondo Antico." ' There mast be something about Virginia Brissac and Tom Fadden that makes casting directors think they look like a minister and his wife. They were preacher and his wife in "Destry Rides Again"; In United States Pictures' recently completed "Pursued" they're also a sky-pilot and spouse. And come spring they'll work tn "Distant Drums," a story of the Oregon Trail as a pastor and his helpmeet. help-meet. A nationwide survey revealed that the best known motion picture star ever to appear on a screen was Rin Tin Tin. The survey was conducted for PRC Pictures, Inc., in connection connec-tion with the forthcoming "The Return Re-turn of Rin Tin Tin," starring R.T.T. III. ' When British actor Rex Harrison was on the CBS "Academy Award," he invited Director Dee Engelbach to tea; telling the guest how to reach his home, he said, "It's a five-minute walk to the top of the road, a tuppence ha'penny ride. You can't miss it. The bobby at the round-about just beyond the pub, will direct you." Despite those well-nigh well-nigh fatal words, "You can't miss it," Engelbach found it. f ODDS AND ENDS Sponsors lor CBS "This Is Holywood" have closed a deal with Universal-International to do eight of their story properties on consecutive broadcasts this season. ... Humphrey Bogarfs going to try a new slant on being a menace in "Dark Passage"; in several sequences only bit hands and feet will be teen. , . . Joan Crawford, vacationing in the Eait, it taking ice-skating lessons; that gal can learn to do anything she wants to, and do it well. . . . William Cagney has bought screen rights to William Faulk-ner's Faulk-ner's "Two Soldiersf Audie Murphy, wuub-decorated soldier, will star. Itwus&aoiD Christmas Dinner Needs Color and Good Cooking To Appeal to Appetites ; . .vy . lis Christmas dinner Is for family and friends. They should be given their favorite foods, prepared family fam-ily style. Plan meal ahead and save last minute mussing aad fussing. We may all get somewhat worn-out worn-out by the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but, confess now, would you give any of it up? I don't think anyone would say "yes" because that's half the fun of Christmas. Christmas is the tire to put on your feast of the yea, for this Is V-s truly the meal V II that'm rem cm. bered. What-ever What-ever you have, set it on a colorful color-ful table with red and green colors in food and dec orations predominating. Have everything ev-erything cooked to perfection and let the rest take care of itself. Do your marketing and planning well in advance so you won't be disappointed, and do get most of the food prepared In advance so you won't be caught in the last minute rush. Dessert, refrigerator roll dough and salad can all be prepared pre-pared the day before Christmas if you follow the suggested menu. 'Cranberry Juice. Mix equal quantities of cranberry and orange juice. Add half as much ginger ale and chill thoroughly before be-fore serving. 'Roast Beef. Wipe roast with a damp cloth; iredge bottom of pan with flour. Place roast in pan, skin side down, and rub over with flour. Place in a moderate (300 to 350 degrees) oven and cook as follows: for a well done roast 15 minutes per pound, plus 15 minutes; for medium done, 12 min-jtes min-jtes per pound plus 15 minutes; and (or a rare roast 10 minutes to a pound plus 15 minutes. 'Green Beans with Mushrooms (Serves 6 to 8) I pounds green beans, cut In slivers pound fresh mushrooms H cup minced onion l!4 teaspoons salt M cun water I tablespoons butter or bacon fat Yi teaspoon sugar H teaspoon pepper V, cup milk or cream Combine beans with mushrooms which have been washed and sliced. Add onion, salt water, butter and sugar. Cover and cook over low heat until tender. Add remaining ingredients, in-gredients, heat well and serve. Canned mushrooms and green beans may be substituted for fresh produce, if desired. 'Cranberry Relish Salad. (Serves 6) 1 cops fresh cranberry relish 1 tablespoon plain gelatin M cup cold water 12 apple slices Real mayonnaise Salad greens To cranberry relish, add gelatin soaked in cold water and dissolved tn hot water. Turn Into shallow pan rinsed with cold water. Have mix ture at least one inch deep. Chill until Arm. Cut out with a scalloped cookie cutter and place on salad greens. Top with Vi-inch apple slice cut with same cutter and dipped in lemon juice. Top with real mayonnaise and garnish with a half a cherry. LYNN SAYS: Have an Old-Fashioned Christmas Now that everyone's settling down to a normal life at last, make it a good old-fashioned Christmas at your house with all the trimmings. Nice Christmas trees always have something good to eat. There are red and white candy canes which make the tree cheerful, and cookies cut in fancy shapes like stars, wreaths, miniature trees and snowmen. snow-men. Flavor them with ginger and spices and frost prettily with white icing, red and green sugar. v 11 fl 1 " Via it rr -. .... ..ww. - i ml urn CHRISTMAS DINNER Cranberry Juice 'Rib Roast of Beef Browned Potatoes 'Green Beans with Mushrooms Hot Rolls 'Molded Salad Relishes 'Plum Pudding with Sauce or Fruit Cake Recipe given. To make the cranberry relish used In the recipe tor the salad use the following directions: French Cranberry Relish. 1 pound raw cranberries 1 large orange 1 large red apple 1 cup hooey Wash berries, orange and core apple. ap-ple. Put through the meat grinder, using medium knife. Add syrup and let stand In the refrigerator. This will make SVi cups of relish. It may be used as a relish for meat, if desired. Trimmings from the Jellied Jel-lied relish salad can be added to fruit cup the following day. A good plum pudding may be kept for several weeks, If desired, and allowed to mellow like good fruit cake. Or, if you want some for New Year's Day also, double the following follow-ing recipe: 'Royal Plum Pudding. I eggs, separated 4 cup brown sugar t tablespoons lemon juice cop chopped suet 1 cup soft bread crumbs 1H teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt 1H teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg cup seeded raisins H cup currants H cup nutmeats IM tablespoons flour A J - is Cranberry relish salad Is made of easy-to-get foods like apples, oranges or-anges and honey. It can be prepared pre-pared the day before and garnished gar-nished prettily by cntting the molded salad with a scalloped cookie cutter, and topped with an apple cut the same way, garnished with mayonnaise and red cherry. Add beaten egg yolks to brown sugar and mix in lemon juice. Blend in suet, bread crumbs and remaining re-maining ingredients. ingre-dients. Lastly, fold in stiffly beateneggwhites. Use a 2 quart mold which has been greased well Sprinkle with flour and pour in pudding. Cover and steam for 3 hours, or bake at 250 degrees for 3 hours. If individual molds are used, this will make six puddings. To make a sauce for the pudding, beat 1 egg yolk and add y cup of sugar slowly. Fold in 1 stiffly beaten egg white and another 4 cup of sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Just before serving, fold in cup of cream which has been whipped. Orange or lemon flavor or grated rind may also be used for flavoring. Jack Horner Pudding Zli cups milk H cup brown sugar Y teaspoon salt 3!4 tablespoons cornstarch 'A cup seedless raisins Yt cup cut figs 1 teaspoon grated orange rind Scald 2 cups milk in the top of a double boiler, add brown sugar and salt. Stir the remaining cup cold milk into the cornstarch to make a smooth paste. Stir into the hot milk mixture, and continue to stir until smooth and thick. Add raisins, figs and grated orange rind. Cover and cook over hot water hour. Pour into deep custard cups, cool and chill. Unmold and serve garnished with sprig of holly. Released by Weatera Newspaper Union. Let's start with the tree and make sure everyone has a hand at decorating dec-orating it. The good old-fashioned trees are topped with a gold or silver star. This can be made of metallic paper pasted on a cardboard. I Here's a tip for making those pop. i corn chains: use a slender needle I and cotton thread, and tell the small ! fry not to use too much force or 1 the fluffy grains of corn will break. J They'll probably figure this one out ; by themselves, though! Heavier thread should be used for the cran berry chains. i MM mam ii'ihhmwiwi It'll iiiuijiipniiijl imhi iiwiih ? 7 T J ANOTHER J ? A General Quiz Tht Que$tion 1. The Constitution of the United States provides that the President must be a resident of the United States for how many years? 2. How many Americans have moved from one part of the country coun-try to another in the last three years? 5. A schoolmaster, an alewife and a sailor's choice can be found in one place. Where? 4. The song "O Promise Me" is from what light opera? 8. Whom did Queen Victoria succeed to the English throne?, 6. What was the approximate length of Columbus' boat, the Santa Maria? 7. What was the ratio of divorce to marriage in 1945? Splendid Cough Relief, Mixed In Your Kitchen Saves Big Dollar. No Cooking. Tea, ma'am, right in your own kitchen, kit-chen, you can easily mix a cough medicine that la a wonder for quick results, and gives you about four times as much for your money. And It's no trouble a. child could do It. You'll need a syrup. Make it by stirring I cups of granulated eufrar and one cup of water a few moments, until dissolved. No cooking needed. Or you can use com syrup or liquid honey, instead of sugar syrup. Now get ounces of Ptnex from any druggist and pour It Into a pint bottle, and fill up with your syrup. There you have a full pint of remark-able remark-able medicine for coughs due to colds. It lasts a family a long time, and tastes fine children love It You'll say It's hard to beat for reel relief. It loosens the phlegm, soothes the Irritated membranes, and help clear the air passages. Earns the soreness, and lets you rest at night Plnex Is a special compound of proven Ingredients, In concentrated form, well known for quid: action on throat and bronchial Irrltatlonsi Just try It and if not pleased, your money will be refunded. ASK MS mm Tfm ammM m mrnxm mm . I Tom get new-tire robber with full sew-tire sew-tire tread width and depth. Ton get the famous Firestone De Luxe Champion Gear-Grip Gear-Grip Tread design with 2,466 sharp angles to protect against dangerous skidding. Why be satisfied with ordlnarv skimpy retreading? Get the best get Firestone I FOR EXTRA PROTECTION ASK FOR THE FIRESTONE STUDDED GROUND GRIP TREAD V The Antwert 1. Fourteen years. 2. One-fifth of the population. 3. The ocean (fish). 4. "Robin Hood.". 5. Her uncle, William IV. 8. About 63 feet. 7. Thirty-one divorces for every .00 marriages. Candy Land In 1943 Illinois produced over per cent of all the candy made the U. a Mills : " ; VW ...... -. - - - .. a-- n... --ItnMl tslSSSsissl, Hurry rub in Ben-Gay for fast, soothing, gently wanning relief I Insist on genuine Ben-Gay, the original origi-nal Baume Analgesique. Ben-Gay contains up to 2 Vt times more methyl salicylate and menthol two pain-relieving pain-relieving agents known to every doctor than five other widely offered rub-ins, Ben-Gay acts fast where you hurt Also for Pals due to COLDSMUSCLE ACHE, and STRAINS, Aik for Mild Bts-Caj for Cbildrio. vrrrrr. 7 ce m A "must" for mow and mud! The famous Studded Ground Grip Tread Design gives you the extra traction trac-tion you need for winter driving. No slipping, so spinning, spin-ning, no skidding I Deep, tough tread for long wear. ALL MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP fULLY GUARANTEED Perk Spoilage Cold pork win rarely tpofL bol mad fall days which raise the alt temperatures above 40 degree speed up the growth of spoilage germs that are on and in pork. Warm pork spoils as rapidly and for the same reason as warm mOk. Plaatlo Work Gloves A washable plastic coating has been developed for work gloves. Tba plastic is vinyl butyraL Tough bis flexible, It can be cleaned with solvent to remove grease, oil and grime. 40 in mm tmiG 'EM m LIKE THIS 7 i 3 ' S ej ff W OUT UXE THIS NX |