Show kathleen norris says die perfect wife really ex I 1 ats lien syndicate service 4 4 I 1 in a worried dine she was never as a loss for surprises kindnesses discover les of the first spring flower or a good book ot a new little dish for my tray by KATHLEEN NORRIS OW near are you to HOW H being a perfect woman this Is a fascinating question 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 yourself into a perfect woman A mans letter suggested su this idea he writes me that he has the perfect wife they have been married seventeen years they arent rich or famous or young any more both close to forty but his letter makes thrilling reading and I 1 pass it on A tough beginning we had to wait seven years for or our happiness he writes they were long years and sometimes discouraging cou raging years dee was taking care of her mother a helpless hel invalid and teaching school as aa well there seemed to be no reason why she might not be so held for or many years I 1 was in medical school with the hope that a hospital appointment might some come day pay me 75 a month when dee was 28 and 1 I 30 however I 1 was offered a position in a small country town with a month and free rent guaranteed guarante d at the same time an aunt of dees was widowed and came to live ave with her mother and we persuaded the old folks to let upturn us turn the upstairs floor of the home into a flat cal the rent was 35 and we sent them anther another 0 35 and they managed easily we went at once to our own home and I 1 took up my clinic duties at once my wife kept a wonderful table and we could entertain simply on her food allowance of 25 a month presently I 1 began to get an outside case or two every dollar counted of course but we never had any sense ot of anxiety or scrimping two boys came along and their mother took care of us all always gentle sympathetic understanding 1 I think gentleness is dees outstanding characteristic she Is always ne neat at and fresh always merry and adequate and wise but her outstanding characteristic is gentleness if something comes up that troubles her she Is silent thoughtful gentle about it always sees the bright side dee never will have a blu bill or a standing debt we may have to 0 go on short rations tor for a while but she must pay bills first her mothers final illness was a long one we had doc docas ts and nurses but dee managed make us all feel that it was a privilege rather than a burden to do au all we could she makes picnics parties festivals of ordinary living in a worried time for I 1 had a long dull illness she was never at a loss for surprises kindnesses discoveries of th the first spring sprier flower or a good book or a new little dish for my tray our little attle girl coming when her brothers were 0 and 7 was born almost blind normal now tor for her first arst two years her mother had to be eyes tor for her dee never showed me her bitter worry never gr grew C w tired her home Is a place of rost rest and music and laughter and happy meals and happy talks in winter we are te coziest family in n town in summer dees beloved garden has our supper table in it under an oak for vacations we have a three room lake cottage for hobbles but we have them all aill the me vivid eager loving woman who has dene all Us this tor for a nian man and three children Is I 1 unk think the finest PERFECT WIFE almost all wives are very nice women in many ways hut but kathleen norris is told about one wife that is perfect an appreciative husband banff writes miss aliss norris telling her bout about his wile wife and ami how thoughtful kind and generous she is s ills his letter offers a measuring stick for women everywhere to test themselves and see how high or low they rate why not make this little test yourself human being I 1 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 change s of many married years have only come the more sincerely and truly to love and need each other the letter it did my heart good the writer did not give me his address but I 1 hope hone 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 characteristics acte would you select it if you were choosing those of the ohp 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 she should be prompt af economical patient imaginative cheerful I 1 this Is a big order most women never stop even to consider these qualities much less to ask themselves it if they happen to possess them many women resent the idea that they could change they are as they are with no need lor for change you know me 11 they say complacently when anyone tries to put anything over on me I 1 never forget III or jims mother spoiled him for 25 years well he get any more of ive got a good hot temper of my own and its about time jim baker found it out other women tell you prettily that they are always late for things and it does make poor bob so madl madi or very poor cooks mama mn rna said she never wanted her girls to slave in any mans kitchen or they never can keep their books straightened out don t know the least thing about money wives in name only some wives save all the days annoyances noy ances and worries worrie 3 until dinner time and then regale the weary man of the family upon them othes quarrel and complain constantly with and of the children many are extravagant and vain home and husband serving them only as a background for constant trips to the beauty parlor and the frock shops then there Is 13 always the wife who puts somebody else ahead of the man an she married whose heart is really with her family or whose whole devotion goes to her child and the wife who has numerous love affairs nothing really wrong of course but such fun and so barm less it if only bob be so ridic jealous jea loust I 1 all these wives are considered very nice women nobody expects perfection and wo we all have our faults we say leniently which Is perfectly true and yet it is as refreshing as a summer breeze to hear sometimes of a woman who by chance and circumstance and her own fine nature has reached so high a point of human development that the man who has lived with her tor 17 years still finds tier her perfect pr ft |