Show Kathleen Norris Says Two Letters Present Study in Con Contrast Bell Syndicate Features I li t 1 t 1 1 I 0 00 I r r rL 0 0 0 L b I 7 I 0 i ic v c 47 l lt t tI I j t N r ri i There are shortages of 01 all sorts but we ue get along famously and look forward to days das when ullen ice we shall laugh at all aU this By KATHLEEN NORRIS HAT is k the matter matterA WHAT A with a woman when she has everything that makes life desirable writes Anne and yet her days are filled with restlessness restless restless- ness and discontent To an outsiders outsider's eye I would seem to be one of the fortunate women of the world but in my myown myown myown own heart there is hardly ever a moment of happiness My husband is in the service service service ice the letter goes on and I 1 we are stationed through the peculiar and secret nature of his work at a small dull post There are two other officers' officers families here neither of at the wives at all congenial to me though intimate with each other John is absorbed in his work often returning to his laboratory after dinner or going to tobed tobed tobed bed exhausted as soon as he has finished it My My daughter 10 Is away at school I can take walks read books knit manicure my nails We Weare Weare Weare are in magnificently beautiful country country country coun coun- try which no one at the post ever seems to see I have a horse but John doesn't like me to ride very far tar from the settlement alone Exciting Early Years Perhaps Anne goes on if I told you something of my earlier life lie you might understand the situation situation situation situa situa- tion better Dont Don't think me vain but it is only fair to say that my appearance marked me out from my very small-girl small days for especial notice I had my first offer of marriage marriage marriage mar mar- at 14 at 17 I was in Hollywood Hollywood Holly Holly- Hollywood wood rapturous with excitement over being in very small parts to tobe tobe tobe be sure but actually in pictures Here I met John handsome rich clever everything a girls girl's heart de de- de- de sires He was 34 when at 18 I became became became be be- came his wife That was 12 years ago After Nancy was born I was in invalIded invalided invalided in- in for lor four years gradually getting back to health and strength in the mountains of New Mexico Here John who had never done anything anything anything any any- thing serious in his life met the scientist who developed in him the thereal thereal thereal real gift gUt he apparently has for chern chem And that was the end of fun for tor me No more trips abroad no nomore nomore nomore more flying visits to New York to see tb the plays and buy hats no nomO nomo mO fe lin myself pretty and ad ad- mir mired mire Long Long before America entered entered entered en en- the lar war John was dedicated to tho th thre thore research re re ach ch that they say willbe will willbe be of at great value to our armed forces sO some day Nearly Mad Iad With Boredom He is completely happy in his work Nancy loves her school but what about me I have a fine cook and housemaid there is plenty of at money but I am bored bored bored-bored- bored bored A delightful English officer came here a month ago he has just gone and I miss the companIonshIp companionship companionship compan compan- the stimulating friendship so terribly that I feel lonelier and more completely useless than be be- fore tore We have no hospital here the women meet every Wednesday for forRed forRed forRed Red Cross work to discuss children rationing ice box cake and having the porch steps painted and though I often join them I 1 am nearly mad with boredom all the time What use it is to me to have lovely clothes and know how to wear them to be ready for distinguished friendship and have no chance to make them Please dont don't tell me to rend read good books and thank God I am so lucky I simply cant can't I fly to pieces at atthe atthe atthe the mere idea that this may go on I Iolder for the duration and I get duller older plainer every second one letter I answered Anne briefly that my one suggestion suggestion suggestion tion would be that she turn this dull interval in her exciting and luxurious ous existence into a book An English Mothers Mother's Reaction Now heres here's the other letter It Itis Itis Itis is written by a woman in England I Maude Smith is about Annes Anne's age and has three small children Richie Gwen and Stella Richard Senior is away in the service she has seen him once since January and that for Cor a two-day two visit only Maude Smith was in London during the most furious raids and has lost lostan lostan lostan an eye from Cram an injury done by a splinter of shrapnel This splinter was in her eye for tor almost a week before it was removed By that time she was up near the Scottish border with her mother and so thankful to get into a hospital bed and have my shoes of off after a week on pavement without a chance to take them off for a moment she I wrote You cant can't think what it meant to have my feet clean and bare and stretched on a clean I smooth sheet to be out of pain and I to know krow that there was milk for Stella and that they all were with Mother Getting Along Splendidly That was the first letter Later she wrote me that she had feared at that time she might lose the other eye too which would have been quite a pity wouldn't it it she said with the kid kiddies dies so small However However However How How- ever the right eye was saved and even the baby's quite used to the black patch and crazy about her Mummy So were we're getting along splendidly Ive I've made lots of ot jam and the children have been wonderful wonderful wonder wonder- ful tUl with vegetables Ive I've gathered a few mothers and quite a flock of babies together and we combine forces and have a sort of little school and weve we've had the giving out of the things in the wonderful barrels bar bar- I did so want your granddaughters granddaughter's grand grand- granddaughters granddaughters granddaughter's daughters daughter's coats for my girls but they were sizes too small and Just right for two other small sisters who were too adorably happy to be so warm and smart Weve We've no men of ot course and shortages of all aU sorts of things that I wont won't list in this fetter Tetter for I dont don't know how much you all over there know about It But we all get along famously and look forward to days when we will laugh at all this And she ends by asking me if It the children on my ranch like good things for supper and if they wouldn't like this war pudding that her youngsters in England adore Somehow this simple recipe touched me more brought me nearer to the situation than has many an important important im im- im pronouncement from tram war authorities |