The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-01-07
Married Life
the Third Year
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.

BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.
Dear Mother:
l almost feel that I have reached
the end Of things, I have never need
ed you so much as | feel | need you
now. last night l had thoughts of
closing up everything here, and bring
ing Winifred and coming home to you
for awhile. But of course | know that
is impossible at least niw.
Yesterday l received the harshest
letter from Warren that he ever sent
me. and also one that his mother had
written him and which he enclosed.
You know ! wrote you that she call
ed here last week and found | had
rented the spare room. She said no
one in their family had ever taken
roomers, and that she knew Warren
would be furious, and if did not write
him about it-she would feel it her
duty to do so. And she did. A most I'M
fair letter, exaggerating the circum-
stances and saying | had been almost
tnsolent to her. And also that [ had
claimed Warren was not providing Tor
me and | was forced to do this.
What did say was that Warren
h; d complained of the expenses since
he had been away, and that | rented
the room to help reduce them. But she
distorted everything, and ended her
letter by saying l had always been
headstrong and always resented any
advice or suggestion from her.
or course this made Warren furious,
and he wrote a most scathing letter
and said | must get rid of my roomer
at Once--Or there'd be trouble.
But | am not going to send Mrs
Morrison away. On that | have fully
determined And l know were you
here You would say I was right. Moth
or | won't be threatened and bullied
any more.
And if Warren writes the way he
writes now to me-what will be his
attitude when he comes back? Some
how ] feel this is the beginning of the
end. That when he does return it Will
only be for "a longer separation And
just now | am bitter and indignant en-
ough to think it might be for the best,
or course / may not think this way
long When I'm with him again | may
care so much and be as abject as |
have ever been. But just now | feel
that won't.
And feel. too, that his family are
more against me now than they ever
have been. How could his mother de-
liberately try to make trouble this
way? What difference did it make to
her if, while he was away I was rent
ing a room to help pay expenses. And
as for that 7 never said Warren did
not support me, but did say he had
complained about the expenses and
YOU know how economical lam.
Oh, mother, what shall do? | know
this is rambling incoherent letter,
but somehow tonight can't think CO.
herently. I'm too wretched, Oh, it
there was only something | could do!
The desire to be independent-to
make my own living. grows stronger
every day. | am thinking of it all the
time.
How I regret now that when I was
in school | did not perfect myself IL
some one thing. You wanted me to,
YOU said every girl should be able to
make her own living if necessary. But
l fol so sure I would never have to.
But, oh. ! shall see that Winifred
does not grow up without some train
ing or profession by WNiCh she can
support herself At least she will new
er be in the position 1 am in now
Mother do you think there is anything
| could still learn?
I have thought of stenOgraphy. The
papers are full of advertisements OF
schools that promise to prepare you
for a position in six mOnths-and So
cure the position for you. But do you
think could ever learn? From the lit
tie I know of shorthand 1t always
seemed such difficult thing and
sometimes felt | could never master
it.
| have thought of everything-of go
ing into a millinery store-you know
| could always trim hats. And Mrs
Morrison is the buyer of millinery for
large firm.
Perhaps she could help me.
haven't spoken to her about it yet
but I'm going to- What | would like
most, and think | could do best, would
be shopping. You know there are WON
ell who make very comfortable III
come buying for Out-Of-toWn people or
a commission. But | suppose it would
be very hard to get myself establish
ed--tO get enough customers to make
this pay.
Then I thought of a tea room. Oh
I'm sure | could run a dainty little
tea room and give people better things
to eat and at a more reasonable price
than most Of them do But, of course
for this I would have to have capital
The only possible way | could start
would be TO rent tea room already
enninned. But | doubt if one could be
found
And then have thought Of mend
ing shop. ! have seen advertisements
in theatre programs and papers OF
places whore they do fine emnding al
q moderate fec. I know could do this
work. and would love to do it. But
again comes the question Of gettinG
customers. | would have to advertise
and that would be expensive.
Mother what do other women do.
Think of all the women who are left
widowed or whose husbands, desert
them, women who are no better train