Show KA KATHLEEN NORRIS Rocky Road Ahead Den bell Syndicate Features By KATHLEEN NORRIS THIRTY THIRTY YEARS AGO JL when the first world war ended Barbara Whitman was left widowed with a baby bo boy three weeks old Bruce naturally naturally naturally natu natu- rally became all Barbaras Barbara's world she was 32 delicate walking with a slight limp even when using her cane She did not remarry Now Bruce grown has passed his bar examinations with distinction tion and tion-and and he wants to marry Mollie Barbara writes me on a tear spat sheet that she would rather see him dead She will not meet Mollie Molise she will win not see Bruce again if it he makes this marriage She has been married twice before before before be be- fore and divorced twice writes Barbara of Mollie I am not an extremely sophisticated woman but butI I know her type She's truly in love with Bruce now he dances divinely divine divine- ly and she loves to dance He has hasa a good income augmented by accumulated accumulated accumulated ac ac- ac- ac cumulated service pay and he spends money on her DOESN'T WANT CHILDREN This woman has a little girl of 9 a neglected and difficult child She says openly that she doesn't want more children She told her aunt whose closest friend is one of my intimates that she and a divorced divorced divorced di di- woman friend of hers had had a bet on which should get Bruce She's that sort of a reckless reckless reckless reck reck- less coarse woman Her life is amusement drink I cigarettes careless scandalous talk I dress extravagance rushing about in anybody's and everybody's cars sleeping half halt through the mornings up in n some night club or at some private party well into the next morning of r sy syI I I I I VIII Her life li is s amusement amuse me lit My heart is broken over all this my life lie wrecked I cannot stay here herein in my own home city and watch the terrible disillusionment that is ahead for my son Everything about him is fine there are a dozen dozen dozen doz doz- en splendid girls in his own circle who would give him a real home children peace To think of the tender tender tender ten ten- der adoring love he gives her destined destined destined des des- tined to so complete a change is driving me mad Br Bruce ce is quiet with my anxiety sure that Mollie will win my heart in her own time tune They are steadily getting ready for a November November November No No- vember marriage bridesmaids caterers caterers caterers' ca ca- supper everything What shall I do Dont Don't suggest that I welcome Mollie with open arms its it's too late for that Just tell me some argument that may save my Idealistic tic noble boy from rom ruining his life lie MOLLIE HAS POOR RECORD Unfortunately Barbara theres there's no such argument And optimistic as I am apt to be about all marriages mar mar- I must confess that Mollie has a n discouraging record Her story includes a rich old first husband husband husband hus hus- band with whom she lived only a year before claiming a large alimony alimony ali all mony a n wartime husband she dIvorced divorced divorced di dI- when he returned with physical physical physical phys phys- ical and nerve injuries that should have demanded her care That she should turn into a devoted wife ready to face the inevitable difficulties of domestic life lite today Is ts more than one dares to hope Your only course Darb Barbara ra and you you know it as well as I do do Is to keep quiet refrain from criticisms and complaints and play a waiting game Ask Mollie Mollie Mol- Mol lie Ilc to a n home dinner Shell She'll come Then include her In a club lunch with other women I friends Make Bruce feel that your our loyalty to him includes his Ws wife wiCe too There are cases and they are not nota a few when these young wildcats settle down when happiness and stability and a husbands husband's love work a miracle In their tempestuous hearts Trust Bruce for some sobering sobering sobering sober sober- ing influences and trust time the healer all-healer for a solution you cannot see now |