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Show Kalhlnnn No it is Says: The Disappointing Homecoming Nvmllrnito. WNIJ Kftullirna. "He thinks there is too much Justing in tlie way lAna docs things; flowers on the table and beauty parlor every week and tuking Jane to dancing school what the heck docs all that matter, anyway." BATTLE NEUROSIS Robert has come home, discharged dis-charged honorably, after a year's active duty in the navy, hike so many other veterans, he seems constantly moody and depressed, lie is cold to his pretty wife, and unappre-ciative unappre-ciative of her efforts to please him and to help him fit into the old ways of life. His little daughter doesn't interest him, nor his law practice, nor anything any-thing that used to delight him. Robert is suffering from the well-known effects of the terrible ter-rible strain and horror of war. Only time will cure him. By KATHLEEN NORRIS CA and Robert Adams were married five years ago. They had a little daughter two years old when Bob went off for navy duty in March, 1943. Now, after more than a year's service he is home again, to stay, and has taken up his life where he left off, as a junior member of his uncle's law firm in a small town. Lina wrote Bob constant and affectionate af-fectionate letters while he was away, sent clippings and snapshots and presents every week. She was I lonely; she loved the memory of I their marriage, their home, their perfect companionship. And of course, as so many mothers and wives are doing, she idealized the thought of Robert; he was perfect. Every night she and little Jane looked at his picture and said, "Goodnight, Daddy. Come home safe to Mummy and Jane." Robert got a gre.'.t reception when he finally did come back, but almost Immediately things began to go wrong and they haven't straightened out yet. Both husband and wife write me their respective feelings. Robert says that he hasn't changed at all; he never did like meeting people and going places, he never was especially fond of kids. If Lina would let him alone he'd be all right. He doesn't sleep any too well, and he hates arguing. He thinks there is too much fussing in the way Lina does things; flowers on the table and beauty parlor every week and taking Jane to dancing school what the heck does all that matter, anyway. Muses by the Honr.' Lina's letter says, in part: "He used to be sunny, easily amused, ready to fit into my plans. He aimply used to adore Jane. Now he never notices her, and of course, at the age of four, she hasn't sense enough to be friendly with him in spite of it. He muses by the hour, staring at the floor; not hearing me, apparently, if I speak, and not answering If he does hear. He won't go anywhere, and even with clients he has a sort of 'what's-the-dif-ference - anyway' attitude that doesn't help him in business. "The other night," Lina's letter goes on, "I had a dish he likes for dinner and he said to me briefly and shortly, 'Good.' This encouraged me to say that there ought to be a mixed green salad with it, but that I had hunted all over for chives, chicory and cress without success. 'So you hunted all over for chives, chicory and cress, did you?' he said in a dreadful voice. And he got up and slammed out of the house. He came back late and apologized in a sort of grudging way, and I cried all night. I'm so sorry for him, and yet I feel that I can't stand this. "Yesterday I asked him if he simply didn't like me, I seem to irritate ir-ritate him so, and he answered that I could draw any conclusion I liked. I asked him if he would like me to go to my mother for awhile, and he said that he had seen that coming, and knew I was crazy to get away. "Do jou think this shows actual 'Staring at the floor by the hour. , . derangement, or Is It another woman, wom-an, or is It my fault? We're both writing you, and we want a fair answer. Who Is right and who is wrong?" My dear Lina and Bob, my answer an-swer is that neither Is wrong. The deep and bitter wrong Is when the sons of men turn to world war as a preliminary to establishing world peace. It is as stupid a solution of international differences as was the old custom of men and women going go-ing in cheerful groups to a pest house to have smallpox all together and so immunize themselves. But the smallpox inoculation affected only a few persons, and this war is touching us all. Love Lives On I believe that under this present pres-ent trouble your old love and companionship com-panionship live on. But Robert as was inevitable, has come back with a mind and soul and heart scarred by the terrible realities of modern warfare. He has seen the men beside whom he worked, the men who were his companions, blown to pieces, maimed, drowned, frozen, hungry, exhausted. He has gone for months not days, not weeks, but months, without those common luxuries Lina has taken for granted; a warm house, a good reading light, quiet meals, the blessed security of America. When he sees Lina concerned for a hairdo, hair-do, for Jane's dancing slippers, for the Hollandaise sauce and the fresh flowers, a sort of madness at the insane contrast comes over him. and he can hardly breathe the air of home. Lina, on her side, is justified, too. She believed that all he wanted, when he went away, was for her to keep the home fires burning, go on with her nursing twice a week, keep up with her Red Cross work, scrupulously scrupu-lously watch for tin and fat and paper salvages, obey the food and fuel laws all these she has done. She hasn't complained of loneliness or dullness or food shortages. She expected praise and she didn't get it. Give time and patience to your problem, Lina and Bob. It can be solved by a determination to understand under-stand and help each other. There will be a million more like it for the women of America to handle. Render this last aid to your government; govern-ment; that you lift just one of these difficulties from the great total, that you lessen just by so much the fearful fear-ful crisis of postwar days. Keeping Eggs Fresh Do not wash eggs until you are ready to use them. An egg shell has a protective film which helps to keep bacteria and odors from getting get-ting through the pores. Washing removes re-moves that film, and the egg then spoils rapidly. To wipe off soiled spots on eggs, use a rough, dry cloth. Keep eggs in a refrigerator or other cold place to hold their freshness. Because eggs absorb odors readily, store them away from strong-smelling foods such as onions, cheese, pickles and kraut |