Show Kathleen Nords Says Peace o of Mind Is s a Valuable Asset Dell Bell Syndicate W 1 Features II i I II ft V l 11 y J u. u 1 r t 1 I I r r I I MTV gambler er and adventurer adventure My lily mother mOlher died when uben I 1 was eight My father a brought brot me liP up 1 By KATHLEEN NORRIS HE problem of Leona I THE fl Matson is unusual That Thatis JL is it is unusual to find a happy haPlY successful professional profession profession- al woman a wife and mother with so serious a burden of compunction and remorse to carry This is a part of her letter At 20 and until I was 26 I was fortunate enough to be a secretary I to an elderly Hollywood writer My employer wrote scenarios radio I scripts and magazine sketches and andI I acted occasionally in her own plays I Although never in the least famous she was extremely prosperous It was part of my job to desposit her checks in the bank Sometimes one day would bring in m several checks I of different sizes One morning a large check came in Annie to call her that had told me it would be for 2000 but it was for more than twice that much Without calling her attention to it I placed it face down for her to endorse endorse endorse en en- dorse in blank She did not turn it over and I deposited it in my account ac ac- account lC- lC count transferring to hers only the 2000 she had expected My rIy mother died when I was eight My father a gambler and adventurer adventurer adventurer ad ad- brought me up I always had resented the advantages other girls had and always had felt myself my my- myself self underprivileged This is no excuse for what 1 did but the fact is that I did it I told myself that I was only borrowing borrowing borrowing bor bor- rowing the money that Annie would have I le lest t me have it if lC 1 had asked her for ItI itI It I 1 know now that she really would have loaned it but I was young and bitter then and demoralized by talk of trips pearls salaries luxuries enjoyed enjoyed enjoyed en en- joyed by girls no older than myself A few months after my theft to call it that I left Annie to her regret and went east cast to study for my own work Success and Happiness It ClIt was three years later and I Iwas Iwas Iwas was close to 30 when success came With it came love and a happy mar mar- For two years Tony and I had a Boston studio and then we came back to Hollywood We were join joined d a few years later by two wonderful wonderful wonderful won won- children We work separately and together r r. r Mine is a happy story except for tor this haunting thought of what I did 10 years ago Annie is still here but old and impoverished now She resents my having left her and when I went to see her in a home she was still hurt and unfriendly I know she could use the money that is rightfully hers but I cannot face face I I cannot even consider telling the truth facing Tonys Tony's horror and disillusionment disillusionment disillusionment disillusion disillusion- ment and Annies Annie's anger even if u no noone noone noone one else in the world ever knew It occurred to me that if it I had my old account books I could that I had discovered an old error but they are long destroyed Do you know of any way in which I can safely make this old wrong right To this terrible question there is no easy answer The law would say that Leona must face the result of her crime for theft is a serious crime Many a good but weak man is spending spending spend spend- ing lag long years in prison for a moments moment's moments moment's moments moment's mo mo- mo- mo ments ment's weakness less grave than this Renew Her Ber Friendship But since I am not the law I am going to recommend an easier way My advice to Leona would be that she re-establish re the old friendship with the woman she calls Annie Wear down her resentment and coldness coldness coldness cold cold- ness with affectionate visits and little little lit lit- tle tie presents Annie is old lonely defeated and dependent remember remember- i ia a AA t A A sea z Except Except for this haunting thought i RESTITUTION Oftentimes when we ive are arc young restless and am ambitious we regard a transgression of the law very lightly 1 JJ We e a salve our conscience with soft talk hoping that everything e eventually event event- ent- ent will turn out out all right t. t But in most cases it zt doesn't doesn t. t Leona Matson while in the employment o of f a Hollywood writer stole a large sum o of f money from front her employer She justified the theft by convincing convincing convincing con con- herself that she was teas only temporarily borrowing the money Furthermore she reasone reasoned if she had asked ed for fora a loan size sire was certain that her employer would have I granted it Years rears passed Leona achieved success financially as well as but she still hadn't restored the stolen money Now the th thought o of f the theft bothers her and she desires to tomake tomake make mahe restitution without her husbands husband's or her former employers employer's employers employer's em em- knowledge Miss Norris suggests that Leona re-establish re her friendship friendship friendship friend friend- ship with her ex-employer ex who is now in a home for the aged cultivate her friendship and win ivin her affection with visits and gifts ts Leona can have her ex-boss ex moved to a quiet hotel where she size will ivill have more comfort and conveniences After Leona Leo Leo- na has made an honest effort to assist the aged lady she should niche make a complete confession confession con con- and restoration of her past defalcation In this manner Leona will twill regain peace of mind and make full restitution for her shameful sin o of f the past ing lag the happy busy successful years year that are gone forever Perhaps you can place her in some quiet hotel where she will feel her pride and independence still pre served Then some day make a fu full ll confession of your old sin I don donl t know Annie but I know her type and I 1 believe she will be as generous generous gener ous in this as she always has been beel generous in everything ing In doing this you have the chance for which so many of or us long when years have brought us a a. better sense of values and andor of or our own personal moral responsibility re rc in the big scheme of things It doesn't come to everyone everyone every every- one so make the most of It If H some day Annie is happy with her own pleasant room and bath a scrap of garden and a little mo money e on which to draw It will be your privilege to make that happiness complete by telling her honestly that everything you do for tor her i is b I only interest upon the old and shame shameful shame ful full debt Leona may have to sacrifice some of her self pride when she makes the confession to Annie but hut the in herent glow of righteous tion she will receive as the thc result of clearing her conscience will more than compensate for her One of ot the things we learn with years Is that moral law is not constructed con con- by jawed grim old puritans merely to annoy and hamper us us' us P Peace ace of ot mind is the most v valuable thing in the world ld and obedience to the law when one is young restless unsatisfied a and ambitious Is the aril only road to peace of mind later late r on an |