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Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER, RANDOLPH, UTAH Kathleen Norris Says: The Escape Marriage Bell Syndicate. "He raves and shouts or peace at all." WNU Features. and in the evenings drinks, until there is no home spirit By KATHLEEN NORRIS writes Floretta 16, 1AM from Oregon. Six ago my mother had an affair with a married man I will call him Harry which caused talk that even as a little' girl I understood only to well. A little later; both were divorced, and my mother married Harry. My father, devoted to me, was without relatives and had to travel a lot in connection with war supplies, and consequently I have lived since with mother and Harry. They have twin girls, of whom I am very fond, Patricia and Shirley. , Dad has married again and lives in Alaska; my stepmother is foreign-bom, intensely nervous and jealous, and there are difficulties for all three of us when I live with them. Mother and Harry have quar relied continually almost from the man, and first; he can never be crossed even in the slightest particular without making a scene. There are scenes at breakfast and at dinner afid all day Sunday. If a door is open or if it is shut, if the twins make any noise, orif mother sends them upstairs to prevent noise, it is all one to Harry, he raves and shouts and in the evenings drinks, until there is no home spirit or peace at all. If any woman comes in for a few minutes to see mother, he is like a child, interrupting and distracting her, and is always angry afterward. He is stingy with money, but wants a good table and to have her and the children looking well all the time. I am dependent upon him, and although I do work hard as cook, dishwasher nurse, and all the rest of it, he reminds me of my obligation to him almost every day. My mother was so desperate a few months ago that she told me of her plan to divorce him. We said we would open a boarding house, a school, anything, rather than go on this way. But a severe cold last winter, combined of course with fatigue and nervous pressure, resulted in rheumatism, which has made her almost helpless. She does what she can, from her chair; I do all I can, and the rest simply doesn't get done, so that Harry is in a state of fury most of the time. A Marriage Offer. Meanwhile, a college friend of and always my father, 48, like a kindly uncle to me, has lost his wife, has a boy of 10, and wants me to marry him. His devotion is unquestioned, and I do love little Pete. Barney has two good servants in his house, as well as a cousin his age, who is his office nurse, and Pete has lunch at school, so that my duties would not be hard. I have received my fathers willing . consent to my marriage, and while, on my side, it would not be a girls ideal or young love, yet I do want security, peace, the pride of being wanted and filling a place in someones home and heart, that I think I could promise that Barney never would be sorry. Barney has been Uncle Bam and his cousin Aunt Phyllis ever since my babyhood; they want me, and God knows I want to go to them. But there is mother, and the twins. Will you advise an almost distracted girl as to what is right? I will be 17 in September. I dont dare even broach the plan to mother, much less pack my things". and- kiss her and the little Barneys house, agirls good-bplace in a garlovely ia hot-temper-ed bed-mak- er, well-fixe- d, three-year-o- - y. ed ld A WAY OUT Sometimes a loveless marriage offers the best way out of an almost intolerable situation, Miss Norris believes, when there is security and peace to be gained. She is advising a girl who writes that she is "almost distracted Floretta Howe of Oregon lives with her mother and stepfather, whom she calls "Harry" This man has a violent temper and a determination to have his own way. Besides this be is stingy, demanding and a heavy drinker, life with him is miserable, Flo- POWER . . . United States aircraft carriers and other naval vessels have been tour of the Mediterranean, touching at some of the worlds troubled areas. Here, making a framed through the mast aerial of an accompanying ship, the aircraft carrier Leyte enters the harbor at the port of Istanbul, Turkey, for a friendly visit. The fact that ships of the United States navy chose this particular time to make the rounds of the Mediterranean and put in at a Turkish port is claimed bj some to have a connection rfth President Trumans program for aiding Greece and Turkey. One opinioi but rather to put on a show of strength in the area. is that the navy is not out primarily for good-wi- ll AMERICAN SEA-AI- R good-wi- ll retta complains. She has a chance to marry a friend of her fathers, a kind, well-of- f man, who lives nearby. This friend is a widower, 48 years old, while Floretta is approaching 17. She likes bis little girls. The comfortable house, the servants and other advantages of wealth would all be hers, as well as release from the painful present situation, if she would accept this proposal of marriage. Miss Norris advises her to . take this step and gain what security and happiness she can at once. den, is only a block away. He sees me every day, but mother suspects nothing, and I am afraid it would break her heart. She is gentle and lovely and only wants everyone to be happy. t This letter is signed, tearfully, Floretta. And to Floretta I say in answer, that I have given her problem some thought, and my definite advice is for her to marry Barney, stay on in her mothers house for a week or two, then break the news and move to her new home. Happy Possibilities., I tell you this, Floretta, for several reasons. The main one is that nobody is doing particularly well as things are now. With a lovely home only a few minutes walk away, you can see your mother daily. You can come in with flowers, a bowl of berries, a new book. You can carry off the small for long afternoons of play at Barneys house. You can do infinitely more good to these three than you can as thd drudge and dependent of an undisciplined tyrant of a man. Harry meanwhile will have to find some sort of servant for your mother. He wifi growl and criticize her less than he did you. He wont dare antagonize and anger her. You will be the dignified, and I believe truly and completely happy, little wife of a wiser and kinder man, in whom both your parents trust. From the outside you can do a thousands helpful things for your mother that you cannot do EUROPES HUNGRY PEOPLE . . . Besieged by the specter of famine, the people of Europe are becoming more and more restless. Mass demonstrations, like this one which occurred in Vienna outside the chancellory, show dramatic proof that hunger is rampant all over Europe, with each country convinced that it is hungrier than its neighbor. The United States the good provider will increase food shipment rations to Germany, hardest hit of all the European nations. i ' half-siste- rs now. - There is another consideration. Your mother took a lover when you were small and sensitive and could be deeply hurt by it. She separated you from your father and broke up your home. .That you, have remained sweet and considerate under the circumstances is far more to your credit than hers. She wrecked your life without much concern for your comfort. This safe, sane marriage gives you a protector, a home, affectionate companionship, and may easily Jead to a deep, true married love. My best wishes are with you. ... A new addition to the world of YOUNGSTER buffaloes, this little tyke was hailed with considerable joy by Central Park zoo officials in New York. Its parents, a couple of buffaloes named Mary and Bill, were also pleased. Mama Mary, standing here beside her youngster, is reported to be doing well; and the baby, who tipped the beam at 50 pounds when he was born, is strong and healthy, caretakers say. FIFTY-POUN- D L ... Mrs. Leonard Sosa, 28, claims the child she is holding here was substituted by a Bronx hospital for her own baby, a girl. The Sosas have filed a claim for $200,000 damages. Hospital admits a clerical error. WRONG BABY |