Show I Kathleen Norris Says s No Money one o of Her Own Bell Syndicate Syndicate Features Feature n I I J I 4 r J l r 1 l O Q J 4 V 1 Cookies bread tams fans have a It big sale in these times and cal catering is surprisingly ris sim simple e. By KATHLEEN NORRIS TV TY Y HUSBAND is a wonderful wonderful wonderful won won- MY man in every respect writes a Texas wife but he never lets me handle any money We live in my old home an enormous old place which Gordon recently recent recent- ly has freed from a heavy mortgage mortgage mortgage mort mort- gage so that strictly speaking my mother might feel him the rightful owner o Our family includes includes includes in in- Mother my four children children children chil chil- dren and a brother recently discharged discharged discharged dis dis- charged from the service because because because be be- cause of poor health Gordon likes a generous table I and wants his children nicely raised pays dentist school department department depart depart- depart I ment store and grocery bills willingly willingly willingly will- will willI I j but he checks every item and makes me feel like a beggar as asI asI asI II I explain a long-distance long call or a charge at the florists He never lets me know how we stand financially but about twice a month when I ask for it he gives me 5 If I ask oftener I dont don't get it This money covers c car carfare a r f far a r e childrens children's ice cream library books stamps a hundred small things I am always conscious of not having money for fora a casual telegram a a lunch downtown downtown downtown down down- town a magazine Before my marriage I earned good money put my brother through college and supported my parents My father was never a successful successful successful suc suc- business man and my mother was of the old school that knew nothing of management I was wasa a fitter in our smartest frock shop I so that today I can make all my daughters' daughters clothes clothe and most of my myown myown own and mothers We Veda do all the housework and manage the vegetable vegetable vege vege- I table garden and chickens Of I course it is true that all the n necessities necessities ces- ces of gracious living clothes food laundry and so on can be managed on charge accounts but that never gives me the pleasure of spending 1 Pride Hurt by Dependence Spending I this letter finishes It is a real pleasure isn't it To feel that you can have a book or a taxi or a lunch downtown without that feeling of utter flatness and emptiness in your purse Ive I've argued argued argued ar ar- ar- ar gued with Gordon about it but while he is perfectly amiable he is inflexible too and treats me as if I was merely a child My children by the way are arc aged 8 6 5 and 1 I I Iso I so that there is no question of my earning money again for some time For years I was the main support support support sup sup- port of my fa father ther and mother as I Isay Isay Isay say my father was unfortunate in his business affairs and became completely dependent some years before his death I miss the sensation sensation sensation sensa sensa- tion of having money of my own and my pride is hurt by complete dependence I feel that a wife is a I money earner too especially when she gives a man the four children who will some day be such a comfort comfort comfort com com- II fort and delight Other women surely have had this problem can II you give me any hint as to how it may be sol solved IOther I IOther Other women women many many hundreds of other women women have have indeed had this problem Madeline and as it usually usually ally rises from a certain situation it is often curable Your husbands husband's attitude indicates that he is conscious conscious conscious con con- of being heavily burdened he is the only support of an elderly woman a young wife a sick man and four children He is afraid Afraid of waste and debt and extravagance extravagance extravagance ex ex- afraid of some day perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps having to leave you and the hildren Children helpless I I Y He checks every item f I I 1 A FIRM FIRl HAND ON THE PURSE STRINGS The only thing Madeline j has against her husband is that he doesn't let her ber handle money Everything she buys bus must st be on OIl credit At the end o of f the month he scrutinizes every bill care carefully fully and questions her ber about any allY item that seems to him bim unnecessary or extravagant They have bave four jour children so Madeline cannot work outside to earn pin money Her mother and amI brother also are living with them f for or the present so there is a large family to care for They live in ina a big old mansion in Texas Teas a roomy and comfortable home Gordon has paid off 00 the large mortgage on OIl it so he is virtually the owner although title is in Madeline's mothers mother's name Madeline says she feels like a achild achild achild child without any spending money Gordon gives her about 10 a month to cover everything stamps carfare candy for the children Before she was married Harried Madeline j earned a good salary and with it she supported her herf f father ather and sent her brother through college Miss Norris replies that Gordon Gordon Gor Gor- don dOll a is conscious of the heavy burden he must bear He is aware that Madeline is inclined to be bea beI a free spender so he has taken the only means he knows to preserve preserve preserve pre pre- serve the financial stability of his household There are many ways Miss Norris sas sa's says for a woman situated as Madeline Aadeline is to earn earna a little money at borne Lome such sl as making made home jelly and cookies or some novelty li like e rag dolls I He Fears Extravagance Bills he will pay because he can glance over these and check items that seem unnecessary or wasteful But inasmuch as your father was improvident and you evidently spent all the money you made as fast as you made it he is apprehensive sive that things will get out of hand When he moved into your old home he had a mortgage to handle his married life began with heavy obliga ga It would seem that in so large a ahouse ahouse ahouse house you and your mother might find a source of income that you might rightfully divide as your own Fitting up an apartment or taking in children for overnight board are two easy ways of making money but other very profitable things are being done by housewives today in their own homes Two old sisters I know weave beautiful table runners in peasant colors a California family family family fam fam- ily is supporting itself making sturdy rosy-cheeked rosy cloth dolls Cookies bread jams have a big sale in in these times and catering is surprisingly simple when handled in ones one's own neighborhood A mother and two daughters here have all they can do at 2 a dinner delivered hot at any hour Even Ever with your four children you can find time for one of these activities or orone orone orone one of a hundred others and a at once save your own pride anc and lighten your husbands husband's anxieties Divorce War ar and Liquor Half the domestic troubles that have led to an increase in divorces this year can be blamed on the war and half on alcohol according to Judge McNamee of Nevada Four out of five complainants are women said Judge McNamee but the social stigma of a man divorcing divorcing divorcing di di- a woman has disappeared Troubles arising from the loneliness loneliness loneliness ness of war and the excessive drinking drinking drinking drink drink- ing of one of the partners lead the entire field of reasons for the increase in crease in broken homes he added |