Show Kathleen Norris Says Take It and Like It Bell Ben Syndicate Features N l i 7 I f l I k 1 JAr Ar J r II I l r y lily My father law father is a fine old man but so close that a light left burning or a faucet left running will give ice him a chance to scold for hours I l use too much soap in the baby's bath I leave good gravy and potatoes on my plate By KATHLEEN NORRIS HE trouble with Helen T THE Johnson is that she wont won't accept the inevitable She hates hales the conditions of her life and yet she cant can't seem to find any way of es es- cape So many women are in her position now that it seems worth while to quote her let let- ter I married at 20 six years ago writes Helen Lewis my husband is U two years older he is now with the army in France but before the war he made a good living as a contractor contractor contractor con con- tractor and b builder He worked with his father and now now that he is away I live with my two little children with his father and mother Lew was happy that I should come to them when he went away almost a year ago The lease on our apartment had expired we could find no other place and this roomy country house seemed ideal Domestic Domes Domes- I tic help simply doesn't exist in this neighborhood I was worn out when we came here and expected a rest I Instead nothing is right My law in is a fine old man but so close that a light left burning or ora ora ora a faucet left lett running will give him hima himI I a chance to scold for hours I us use too much soap in the baby's bath I leave good gravy and potato on my plate I think my children have hav to have fresh clothes every day What Way Out As for tor my mother-in-law mother she works all day cooking cleaning gardening She adores the children loves to have them with her but buther buther her ber attitude toward me is quietly critical Wouldn't I rather buy another another another an an- other bond for Lewis Jr than buy buya a dress What are my plans when Lew comes home Isn't it better for little people not to talk at all at meals This means Sonia for little Lew doesn't talk yetI yetI yetI yet I drive myself almost crazy all an allday allday anday day trying to think of a way out and lie awake at night planning it it But it seems impossible Living space pace is at a premium It would mean that I get a job and what of my children Here I have no expenses expenses expenses ex ex- ex- ex whatsoever my husbands husband's parents even buying the childrens children's clothes and paying doctors doctor's bills Do you suppose there is a nursery inthe inthe in inthe the city where I could put the baby If I tried to keep Sonia with me It Is a pity Helen that a minIstering ministering ministering minis minIs- angel cant can't appear to you and say to you that your destiny Isto is isto isto to remain where you are and that dire misfortune and evil days will win follow tollow upon your being anywhere else Such a visitation would impress you you would awaken from a adream adream adream dream face facts settle down into the life yo you are living and find in hi it not only content and usefulness but buta a deeper happiness than you have ever known Your husband Is enduring far harder conditions than you are and he be has no way of escape Millions of other men and women in the world ore are facing situations that they thought a n few ye years ago utterly insufferable ble Chan Change e Would Harm All No conditions remain insufferable the minute we decide to accept them make the best of them Improve improve improve im im- Im- Im prove upon them Your husbands husband's people have made you welcome they pay your bills they love your children That the old man is thrifty is la perhaps a 8 good training for you these arent aren't the days to waste soap I waste gravy and potato waste effort washing and Ironing As for your mother-in-law mother she sounds like a fine and useful and generous wom- wom She is critical I ENDURING CRITICISM I Sometimes Sometime little nagging annoyances annoyances annoyances an an- loom like grave hard hard- ships zips It depends a lot on the viewpoint Helen for instance Ican can scarcely bear her lot She is a soldiers soldier's wife with two sm small ll children They are living living living liv liv- ing with his parents in a big country house The old folks pay all the bills bill and do a good deal of the work Helen has only to take care carp of herself and arid the children and to help helpa a little with the general house house- work But what wears on Helens Helen's nerves is the constant criticism from her parents in They are thrifty to a fault hardworking hardworking hard hard- working and old fashioned Her law father raises a fuss about burning burning burning burn burn- waste waste lights lights left ing soap used in excess food thrown away and and keeps away nagging nagging nagging nag nag- ging for hours Her mother- mother law in-law makes pointed suggestions suggestions suggestions about rearing the children children children chil chil- dren saving money for the future future future fu fu- fu- fu ture dressing plainly and so forth This Titis is day in and day out There is nowhere Helen can go as she is dependent having no means excepting her government allotment It would be difficult for her to get a job or find an apart apart- ment She Size would have to place the babies in a nursery too an who helps endure the burning anxiety she must feel for her son in practical hard work Now just for fun begin to tell yourself that you would be unlucky unlucky unlucky un lucky if H you tried to make a change That it would be harmful for Lew Sonia SonJa little Lew and yourself your your- self This isn't as superstitious or fanc fanciful ul as it sounds for I can tell you from my older experience that it would be unlucky any such course would certainly bring upon you the evil eye the evil eye of doubt responsibility discontent fatigue bills anxiety beyond bear bear- ing It would deeply hurt Lews Lew's parents parents parents par par- hurt Lew hurt the children and perhaps lessen his affection for forand forand forand and confidence in you Make yourself the angel of the wartime household Win the older couple with a truly daughterly cooperation cooperation cooperation co co- co- co operation and affection Turn out lights turn off oft faucets serve yourself yourself yourself your- your self to only what food you want were we're all an learning lessons in that sort of niceness And just And just between ourselves take the children off for fora a fortnight in the mountains this summer and make that little break brenk the time of a break in your whole Who so loseth his life shall find it is just as true today as it was 2000 years ago I I |