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Show Katlile en Norri s'Sa ys : . ATo Age Is Safe for Marriage (Bell Syndicate WNU Service.) Lelitm will b II in April. Sht and Lett tell me they will be married that day, with my permution if potsiblt ; but married anyway, with or without it. By KATHLEEN NORMS "AN any marriage turn ( out happily when the - bride is only II," a Texas mother writes me, "and when the husband, only a year older, has never done a day's work in his life, but has to depend upon his father for support? "This is the case with my only and adored child, Loli-ta," Loli-ta," the letter goes on, "and it is breaking my heart. For weeks I have been unable to sleep for more than an hour or two at a time, lying awake practically all night worrying, worry-ing, worrying, worrying. Lolita is madly m-Jov, Leonard Leon-ard is as crazy as she is, and their plans for the future have about as much practical sense as if they were babies of 3 and 4! "Leonard's father sends him S75 a month, and says he will continue to do so until the boy graduates, a fund having been left for this purpose by his grandfather. But that fund is exhausted ex-hausted except for something only a little over a thousand, now, and when that is gone, what? "Lolita wants me to give them a three-room housekeeping apartment In my house as my contribution. I usually get $25 a month for it. And she feels that 'if we run out of food we can always run in and have dinner din-ner with Mother.' Mother in Despair. "This is so far from being my Idea of a right and happy marriage for her that I am in despair. I am a practical woman with a houseful of boarders; I have supported my daughter since my husband died, but somehow I don't seem to get on top of this particular worry. "Knowing Lolita, I knew that she will threw herself into this new situation situ-ation as If it were a game she was playing. For awhile everything will be fun and nevelty, and then like a child she will want to throw It all aside. Our religion does not permit secend marriages; when her fancy turns U someone else she will have to sacrifice either her faith or her happiness, and It seems to me sometimes some-times ai If I could net bear to watch this precess of suffering ar.d disillusionment dis-illusionment going on. ' "Do you not think that Hie ages of 18 and 20 are far too young for a woman and man to enter into the eacrea'ness ef marriage? Da you believe, be-lieve, as I do, that there should be laws forbidding marriage until bath persons are say 15 years at age? Finally, do you know of any 'argu-ment 'argu-ment or warning that will save this girl of mine from taking a step that may cost her years of bitterness? "She will be 18 in AprlL She and ten tell me pleasantly, but firmly, that they will be married that day, tvith my permission and blessing If possible, but married anyway, with or without It" Ne Age la Safe. This distracted mother cheeses for her pseudonym "Thirty -mine." So she was net much elder than Lolita when sha herself was married. Le-Uta Le-Uta evidently ia like her mother. If a girl has been petted and spelled. Indulged., tn everything, brought up in Ignorance ef the simplest sim-plest rules cf cooking, housekeeping, budgeting; if sha Is accustomed to having her awn way in everything, being praised and flattered; and if, consequently, she Is Impractical, extravagant, ex-travagant, Idle, selfish, than she won't make a good wife at 18, or M. or SO. But U, on the ether hand, she is a Koalderate, self-effacing, affection ate, practical, home-loving and baby-loving soul, and really loves the young man whose fortunes she wants to share, then the chances of their happiness are Just as good as A they were both 32. So what "Thirty-nine" "Thirty-nine" ought to ask herself is not, "What sort of a bride will she make" but "What sort of a woman have I raised here, anyway? Is she going to develop as new responsibilities responsibili-ties come along!" Counts on Mother's Help. Against Lolita's marriage are these arguments: that after so many years of devotion she is willing will-ing to hurt and disobey her mother. That she counts, at the same time, upon much help from that same mother. That when Leonard graduates gradu-ates a year from June he still will net have a job, and the education fund established by his grandfather will be exhausted. And that her unwillingness un-willingness to wait a year or two, ai her mother's earnest request, indicates indi-cates a certain hardness. On the other hand; young love ia a beautiful and educational thing in Itself. This happy young couple, settling set-tling down in mother's furnished apartment, will be all the more anxious anx-ious to prove themselves worthy oi their new estate, because of that same mother's misgivings. Lolita, if she has good material in her at all, will rejoice in her tiny establishment that is in such contrast con-trast to the big boarding house In which she grew up, and her mother Till have the great joy of having her near, and being able to help her with her problems. If a baby comes along there will be another tie, and another great Joy. One "Lolita" of my acquaintance ran away with an unacceptable beau some years ago. She was 18, the ma. 19, and their finances were in sa low a state -that they rented t garage for 85 a month, and went on their wedding afternoon to "Lolita's" "Loli-ta's" father to ask him for the fur-aishing fur-aishing of her room 40 that "they could take possession of their new ' horn'. ' ' " The mother was prostrated over-the over-the elopement and could only moan feebly that they could have whatever what-ever they wanted. So they took a frying pan and a dish towel along with their bedding and chair. They lived In the garage three months, the husband hi college, the wife selling sell-ing children's shoes from deor to deor. Tolled for Seven Tears. Social life was out for them, but occasional callers always brought a peund ef coffee ar a box of strawberries straw-berries to leave in the comer of the garage where stood a table and a gas-plate. After Ned was graduated, he got a Job in an oil station. His young wife had a son, and another son. Her young bloom faded; she grew thin; sha was always tireoV Two more babies came along. But there was no question then and the-e is none today that she and Ned truly loved each other. v- |