Show Kathleen katheen Norris Says ti p i Return o of the Prodigal Husband Bell Syndicate testa Feature I J N f fj j fLu ii r 44 y N d a r a i nc 1 b lr d say truly that 1 dont don't even like the man who is my husband says he will mil male make me love him again if I 1 give him a chance P I I B By y KATHLEEN NORRIS 3 v DETROIT woman sends me meher 1 her very puzzling problem solve solve this week Like most our hour our troubles so much deli deJ de- de I li J ids ends ids upon her character at I can only guess and so soch sol l uch ch upon the nature and di dis- dis of her family that it hard to be definite But at ny iy rate Anne has been in a personal letter fj j my sympathy and my re Annes Anne's husband practically d deified de de- I ted ted her some 15 years ago when fc son was 11 and her girls 8 and 1 f He walked out leaving a note 1 say that he was tired of the 1 lole hole thing and would woul send her from time to time That ir st time tune he was gone seven months 1 Anne Anae took boarders cooking meals for or 12 in a hot not kitchen with three children under her feet She sewed for or her friends friends' children fad and afterward for or a wider circle making good money after a while But that came only after years of or struggle single gle When men Ollie came back it was to borrow money for or a Texas rens venture He e disappeared alter after a few weeks and did not come ome home again for Cor a year This erratic coming and going crowing and disappearing went m until about seven years cars ago when lie llie disappeared completely Anne Annet of lot t her boy through college a 3 laughter through nursing school and saw w all three married Then she sheH told H i the rambling old house put a nest egg in the bank and ands ns s casting about as so many su- su women must for some ort t of modest anchorage when llie lle turned up again I Ollie Ollic Is Repentant This s was six months ago Ollie Cue is islow isow isow ow low 52 Anne 49 Ollie is gray u et repentant and anxious to start over His children with the insistent in- in and unjust enthusiasm of w young always have rather ideal- ideal d ed d their father He always has hasea ea n affectionate with them when I thome t home taken them out to amuse tents and on one occasion gave all allee ee e bicycles which generosity ap ap- has counted more with ith iem em m than all their mothers mother's years 11 f sacrifice and devotion A piece a of f property recently left lie llie by an uncle consists of a a mall two family cottage in one alf It if of tench he has comfortably es- es himself And maddeningly ough to Anne he has begun to new sew old associations so that she hays ways ays is meeting friends who arc are lighted that Ollie Ollic is back and hope isee see them sometime iI I 1 am not resentful or revenge- revenge to writes Anne but I positively ill l not entertain any thought of our old relationship Ollie ay y be as sorry as he likes but at Jt doesn't wipe out the terrible st st t when I lay awake night after ight ht worrying over ways and means j i complete the childrens children's on jn n and maln maintain their support t I Ive Ive ve told my daughters and my son is but they continue to plead and andt Bt J t at their satisfaction if it their A tier her and I were reunited Ollie Odle seems to have changed But makes me absolutely sick to toof toof of recommencing the whole siness over again having him ask askor or f r help in the old way having him tep out when he has involved me methe the old difficulties iMy My youngest daughter has just named a musician well placed e at a religious institution now A t ra 4 M Ollie disappeared a FORGIVENESS What should a woman do who is approached by an errant errant er er- er rant repentant husband for forgiveness after he lie has shirked his family obligations obligations obligations obliga obliga- for the greater part o of f his life Anne who has lias raised her liar three children through hard 1 work corle sacrifices and afire backbreaking backbreaking backbreaking back- back breaking menial jobs fobs while her irresponsible husband frittered away his time elsewhere elsewhere else else- where poses this question to Miss Norris At interminable intervals her lier husband OUie Onie would make an appearance in the family but only to borrow money Miss Norris encourages Anne to give her husband the benefit of the doubt and accept him into her house house- hold I If f he fails to adhere to his liis promises she can depart and live by bJ herself stealing a page from Glues Glue's book but jut perhaps someday he will travel or move elsewhere With my older girl her husbands husband's mother an old friend of mine makes her home I could not possibly live with my sons son's wife who ho is a nervous strung high-strung girl with whom her own people avoid intimate contact Vonnie my younger daughter points out that my only choice therefore is to find small quarters for tor myself or join her father Our old clergyman is deeply impressed impressed impressed im im- pressed with Ollies Ollie's latest role and has called twice to ask me pleasantly pleasant pleasant- ly i if I am not considering a recon recon- When he left yesterday he said at parting After all I blessed your marriage and your vow until death do us part II Will Win you please tell me It the letter letter letter let let- ter concludes what you think I ought to do I can say truly that I dont don't even like the man who Ismy is ismy ismy my husband Ollie says he will wm make make me love him again i if I will wm give him a chance My Iy son lunches with his father ather almost every day both daughters laugh and sigh over ver his delinquencies but they love him too Im I'm all turned about please advise me s a Before I say a word of advice I Anne I want to say that I do most heartily concede that this is a wretched situation and that you have been treated abominably Even your children arent aren't showing appreciation appreciation appreciation of what your burden has been But youve you've had a pretty good time raising three children findIng findIng finding find- find Ing your feet Ceet financially succeedIng succeeding succeeding succeed succeed- ing in your work As lives go o that was a good life lICe Now If Ir I I were you ou Id I'd try it with Ollic Ollie I dont don't have to tell you to stand firm on the thc money point Dont Don't advance ance him one cent Let the children do that If U they will it may open their eyes a little This change means companionship companion companion- ship someone to think about plan with another voice and step in the house Maintain your own room and your own privacy of ot course If It the experiment fails then go away for a year travel do a little deserting deserting desert desert- ing on your own account Then come back and take up your life lie where it is now Its It's not a perfect solution but what is Good luck and my prayers are with you |