Show kathleen norris says the ile perfect wife really exists bell syndicate service I 1 P in a worried time she was never at a loss for surprises kindnesses discoveries of the first spring flower or a good book or a new little disk dish for my tray by KATHLEEN NORRIS OW near are you to HOW han being an a perfect wom this is a fascinating question and the answer to it may suggest to you a fascinating occupation it may amuse you and keep you busy and happy for years trying to turn yourself into a perfect woman A mans letter suggested this idea he writes me that he has the perfect wife they have been married seventeen years they arent ar entrich rich or famous or young any more both close to forty but his letter makes thrilling reading and I 1 pass it on A tough beginning we had to wait seven years for our happiness he writes they were long years and sometimes discouraging cou raging years dee was taking care of her mother a helpless invalid va lid and teaching school as well there seemed to be no reason why she might not be S so 0 held for many years I 1 was in medical school with the hope that a hospital appointment appointment might some day pay me 75 a month when dee was 28 and 1 I 30 however I 1 was offered a position in a small country town with a month and free rent guaranteed at the same time an aunt of dees was widowed and came to live with her mother and we persuaded the old folks to let us turn the upstairs floor of the home into a flat the rent was 35 and we sent them another 35 and they managed easily we went at once to our own home and I 1 took up my clinic duties at once my wife kept a wonderful table and we could entertain simply on her food allowance of 25 a month presently I 1 began to get an outside case or two every dollar counted of course but we never had any sense of anxiety or scrimping two boys came along and their nother mother took care of us all always gentle sympathetic understanding 1 I think gentleness is dees outstanding characteristic she is always neat and fresh always merry and adequate and wise but her outstanding characteristic is gentleness if something comes up that troubles her she is silent thoughtful gentle about it always sees the bright side dee never will have a bill or a standing debt we may have to go on short rations tor for a while but she must pay bills first her mothers final illness was a long one we had doctors and nurses but dee managed to make us all feel that it was a privilege rather than a burden to do an all we could she makes picnics parties festivals of ordinary living in a worried time for I 1 had a long dull illness she was never at a loss tor for surprises kindnesses discoveries of the first spring flower or a good book or a new little dish for my tray our little girl coming when her brothers were 0 9 and 7 was born almost blind normal now for her first two years her mother had to be eyes for her dee never showed me her bitter worry never grew tired her home is a place of rest and music and laughter and happy meals and happy talks in winter we are te coziest family in town in summer dees beloved garden has our supper table in it under an oak for vacations we have a three room lake cottage tor for hobbles but we have them aall the vivid eager loving woman who has done all this for a man and three children Is I 1 think the finest PERFECT WIFE almost an all wives ere very nice nice women in many ways but bill kathleen norris norm is told about one wile wife that is is perfect an appreciative husband writes miss aliss norris telling telling her about ins his wile wife and how thoughtful thou elul kind and generous she is is his letter offers a ceasur measuring mg stick for women everywhere to test themselves and see how high or low lou they 3 rate why not make this little test yourself human being I 1 ever know knew you hear the other side you write of divorces and in d problems mean mothers inlaw in law money troubles faithless husbands extravagant and discontented wives but there are a lot of us on the other side of the picture men and women who through the trials and hanges changes of many married years eave have only come the more sincerely and truly to love and need each other the letter it did my heart good the writer did not give me his address addres s but I 1 hope his dee will see this column and know that she is appreciated how would you rate hate how close to her measure would you come if your husband wrote a letter describing you what characteristics acte would you select if you were choosing those of the perfect wife what 10 would come first well perhaps first of all a woman should be gentle she should have a sense of humor she should be capable a good manager of home nursery and budget she should be neat about herself and her belongings she should be prompt affectionate economical patient imaginative cheerful this Is a big order most women never stop even to consider these qualities ties much less to ask the themselves m if they happen to possess them many women resent the idea that they could change they are as they are with no need for change you know me they say complacently when anyone tries to put anything over on me I 1 never forget it or jims mother spoiled him for 25 years well he get any more of ive got a good hot temper of my own and its about time jim baker found it out other women tell you prettily that they are always late for things and it does make poor bob so madi mad or very poor cooks mama said she never wanted her girls to slave in any mans kitchen or they never can keep their books straightened out dont know the least thing about money wives in name only some wives save all the days annoyances noy ances and worries until dinnertime and then regale the weary man of the family upon them othes quarrel and complain constantly with and of the children many are extravagant and vain home and husband serving them only as a background for constant trips to the beauty parlor and the frock shops then there is always the wife who puts somebody else ahead of the man she married whose heart Is really with her family or whose whole devotion goes to her child and the wife who has numerous love affairs nothing really wrong 0 of f course but such tun fun and so har harmless M it if only bob be so ridiculously jealous all these wivis wives are considered ver very Y nice women nobody expects perfection and we all have our faults we say leniently which la is perfectly true and yet it Is as refreshing a as s a summer breeze to hear sometimes sometime e 5 of a woman who by chance and circumstance and her own fine nature has reached reache d so high a point of human development that the man who has lived with her for 17 years still finds her perfect |