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Show Kalhloon Norris Says: The Roving Unshand Hull Hviidlento. WNU P'aiitiirrta. iili "What you have to do, Rhoda, is to net it through your head once and for all that you hold all the cards. Don't throw down your hand; call his bluff." By KATHLEEN NORRIS EXACTLY how much hard, conscious effort are you making to keep your home atmosphere normal nor-mal in this dreadful time? Exactly Ex-actly how clearly do you realize real-ize that extraordinary goodness good-ness and strength and unselfishness unself-ishness are being demanded of every one of us; that we are being given a test beyond anything any-thing our forbears ever knew? We have to keep ourselves sane In a world gone insane, and preserve pre-serve for those about us, and for the boys when they come home, something of the goodness and heroism hero-ism and wisdom that has made America what she is. Anyone who doesn't recognize the situation, and doesn't rise to It, is failing America just as much as if he were a sentry asleep at his post. But unfortunately there are a good many men and women who are drifting along in the old lazy way, making their concessions to the times only in complaints and protests pro-tests against war inconveniences. Here is the case of a husband and wife whose lives seem untouched un-touched by the world conflagration, but who are obviously suffering from the nervous strain that is over us all. Rhoda is 37. She has been married mar-ried 11 years, and has three daughters, daugh-ters, 10, 9 and 3 years of age. The middle child is a polio case and will never be welL Rhoda's husband hus-band is a dentist, 40 years old, and formerly a devoted husband and father, especially close to Tanya, the handicapped child. A Pretty Nurse. But In the last year, Rhoda writes me. Lew has changed. He has grown irritable and silent at home, he is often away. The cause is a pretty grass widow of 26, who is a nurse in his office. There seems to be no question that Lew is infatuated, in-fatuated, and while he doesn't talk of a divorce, Rhoda believes that that is what he would ask if he dared. "But he'd better not get that far," says Rhoda's letter. "It would ruin his practice in this town, where my father and mother are much beloved, be-loved, and he could hardly establish estab-lish himself anywhere else, for he is almost entirely deaf. "I -do all the work of my house, with the older girl's help. I bathe, feed, amuse my darling little invalid, and manage that my baby has plenty of fresh air. Washing, cooking, dusting, planning are all up to me; certainly I show the fatigue and weariness that I feel at night; I am human, I get tired, discouraged, impatient, nervous I know it. But most of the time I am the mother the girls adore, and the cook and housekeeper that other women copy and consult. "Mrs. Norris, Lew spends most of his money on this woman. He takes her home two miles out of his way, every night, and often takes her out to dinner. They have been seen dancing. They have spent nights together at the Mountain Inn. His present to her this year was a squirrel coat; I have never had a fur coat. He sent me soap and perfume, per-fume, and the girls toys and dresses; she picked them out, I suppose. He was away then, for four days, and I think she was with him, though his story to me was that she was sick, at her married sister's sis-ter's house. "He seems a different person; he hardly seems sane. We have always loved each other; I feel as if I couldn't stand his complacency, his silences, his coldness and cruelty any longer. But what life do I make for myself, tired, feeling 20 years older than I am, with three children to raise on alimony? I've thought of suicide, I've thought of everything, I'm desperate. Tell me what to do." What you have to do, Rhoda, is to get it through your head once and for all that you hold all the cards.. Don't throw down your hand; call his bluff. Take the attitude that Dolly is being something of a fool a generous fooL of course, but nevertheless a fool, to take up with a married man, partially deaf, with three children. Wake her up in the night every week, asking if Lew is there; some patient wants him. Make yourself over with a new frock and a changed hair-do. Appear Happy. Be happily' busy and absorbed with your girls, almost rueful when Lew decides to come home for dinner. din-ner. A pretty happy wife, in pretty lounging pajamas, laughing over a supper of milk-toast and cookies, with her children around her, Is a mighty attractive thing on a cold night. Resolutely refuse a divorce. Following these tactics you'll find yourself happy again, and happiness is the one thing that draws a man back. As he tires of Dolly's charms they always do yours will begin to gain on him. Then treat the whole thing as a sickness a weakness, which it is, and go into a new relationship re-lationship of confidence and affection affec-tion with a changed man. To men these adventures on the side are not nearly as important as to their wives; he can have no respect for the complaisapt Dolly, and what he does feel for her is not a lasting thing, as everyone knows. Concede him this period of irresponsibility ir-responsibility in a crazy world, and don't let it seriously jeopardize your lasting happiness and security. Be absorbed in your children. , , |