Show KA KATHLEEN NORRIS Mother-in-Law Mother Wins a Daughter THIS Tills IS THE TILE STORY of Margery I TaU Talt of Toledo 60 00 years old I find her letter so GO full of ot strength and inspiration that I am passing It on almost entire My good husband died 11 years ago writes Margery At 49 I was left with a few thousands In the bank and two sons both steady and both troth working But Dut Robert was killed at Coral Sea and when Tom came back a captain and decorated decorated dec dec- decorated orated he had to start over over and married almost Immediately a girl for whom I had neither liking nor respect I can write this frankly frankl because she neither liked nor respected respected respected re re- me in that dark time as we both admitted later and because because be be- cause I know you will disguise our Identities if you use my letter Cathy x thought I 1 had nad been a weak and extravagant mother and had spoiled my sons and taken no thought to my own old age She resented my dependence on Tom I didn't like Uke her because she was g giddy i d d y overdressed or underdressed underdressed under under- dressed a winner of dancing and bathing beauty contests and because because be be- cause she told m me Just before the marriage that If she didn't go on loving Tom she would leave him Bewilderment and Tears Tear M My funds melted away and increasing in in- increasing creasing deafness and weak eyes made it impossible for me to obtain obtain obtain ob ob- tain work Miserable months of lodging and scrimping followed then I had to give in and go live with a daughter law daughter law in-law who didn't a s sr II r f t batting bathing beauty want me and ask uk a burdened son for tor every penny I spent I dont don't excuse myself for letting things come to this pass thousands of women are doing now Just what I Idid Idid Idid did when times were easy and a good man protected me Like many another I paid In lonesome bewilderment bewilderment derment and tears teara Well I wrote you then Mrs Norris because I knew you had written with sympathy for tor both sides of ot this everyday problem and to my surprise you answered me I read your letter to rags and then I made my plan I disposed of every old old lady lady gImcrack I could possibly spare Ipare mental as a. well as actual and the first encouraging word Cathy said in a rather chilly resigned hour of ot reception was wa a pleased Is II this all aU you brought I determined to see ee nothing In her but what was waa good There was wasa a fat tat boy baby then and another on the way Cathy needed help and although she he would have said lAid then that my help was the last lut she wanted I proved she was wrong You told me to keep m my mouth shut and God knows knows knows-I I II say this In aU all reverence for tor lIe He helped me meI me- me I did You said laid to remember that he who would be first among us UI must be as II our servant ervant and end I was I quietly washed dishes didies c C carried a r n r t e d laundry upstairs answered an an- the telephone answered the door Giving Robin his hi dinner of CIl cereal cerea and fruit I 1 added tea tOl and had mine When Tom came home borne Ma oI had her dinner and was wa upstairs fI with the he baby Saved Baby's nabs Life LIte Duncan was bom born and if It Cathy had needed me before she he needed me twice as II much then He was delicate I took him up to the tho third floor with me and they say I saved laved his hi life We I t aired him on the root roof porch lOrch and cooked hi his meals meala on a alcohol stove t r Cathy and Tom had a dig dI and thy they th y did being belne young fount and vital and deeply in love I learned to smile and sa say One of ot you is the most wrong in my opinion But Dut wild horses wont won't drag dreg out of ot me which it is They used to laugh at that and a laugh is death to a quarrel After Id I'd been two months In the house Cathy came over wholeheartedly she does everything everything every every- thing that way She said she had said awful things about having me there and I cried and said I had called her flighty and vain We both cried We settled everything in those few minutes and I had a daughter A month ago a happy man came home to tell teU me and the boys there was a baby girl in the family another another an an- other Margery Cathy and I are still as different as two women could be but in spite of ot that or perhaps because of it it this is U the house of complete har bar mony On Sunday nights nIght we wa all have dinner together other nights the boys and I are apt to have the food we three like Uke somewhat early But Dut theres there's no fixed rule Cathy goes out as much as she must or likes to to which isn't much I have my crowd in every Thursday for fortea fortea fortea tea and cookies and gossip and she respects my one hospitality and often Joins us Were not perfect I think little Dunk ought to be spanked she says horrors no that'll give him fixations or neuroses or inhibitions or confused ideologies or tome some thing Dunk escapes but not without without with with- out certain enlightenment as al to his bb crime and to his bb luck I am sin a happy happy hap hap- py useful needed and yes and yes I dare add deeply add deeply loved old woman Can any old woman woma say more moreT And for tor some ome of this I thank you |