The Washington times., 1921-09-04
Dying Wife Offers Her Husband
And Three Sons to Woman Proxy
Win Step Out Of Their Lives II
She Regalns Health. Says
Mrs. Landes.
BY LANNIE HAYNES MARTIN.


Los ANGELES. Sept, 3.-Probably
the most extraordinary proposal ever
made by aswoman was stated yester-
day when Mrs. N. #. Landes. OF Will
lowbrook, wrote the Los Angeles
Examiner and offered to give away
her three little boys to the woman
who would come and take her place
In the home.
In her letter. Mrs. Landes said:
Dear Editor of the Examiner-I
am impressed that you are a good
Samaritan, assisting those who are
In trouble, and / am in distress owing
to my failing health and the grief
of my three darling children, whose
little hearts are breaking on account
Of my condition.
isn't there some big.hearted,
lonely woman in the city of Los
Angeles who would like q home, love
and the oompanionship of q family?
Plans for Loved Ones.
II have put up a brave struggle
to regain, my health. all to no avail.
and I feel It is my duty. while /
have strength left. TO see that my
darlings are provided for IN the way
of placing them in some Christian
woman's care. who will rear them in
the right way. They are all boys.
aged six, twelve and fourteen, and
they have had good training and are
bright and obedient. I feel sure that
the Examiner will help me find a
desirable woman to mother my boys,
for II is some one with real mother
heart that ! am looking for. She
must be settled in life. not too young,
Of the Protestant faith. She must
like and understand children: she
must have good health. My husband
is an expert machinist; he Is easy to
get along with. very considerate and
kind, and has been the best husband
to me-"
Yesterday went down to see
this woman. Down quiet, tree-bor-
dered street found her cozy little
home. Red roses were clambering
over the front porch and old.fash-
ioned snowdrops and pansies danced
wild over the front lawn. Her front
door was open and she was reclining
on a couch in the living room, where
she could see anyone approaching
the door. Pale. emaciated. with
tired. saddened eyes, she still had
cheerful smile which welcomed me.
Have you any idea of the serious-
ness of this thing you propose doing?"
was about the first question ! asked
her on entering the house.
Expect Death Soon.
Yes" she said, az nave thought It
all over very carefully and have con-
sidered every possible angle. and I
will tell you why I have taken this
step. I am going to leave my home
very soon. No one knows when /
may steal away. There Is something
that has q greater claim on me now
than my family. much as / love them.
That something is Death.
'If I makeno provision for my
family before I 60 away some woman
may come in after am gone who
knows nothing of the way have tried
to raise my boys-some one who
might not understand how to win
their love, and unless they can be
taught to love some one else their
little lives will be wrecked.
"I know that caf never get
well. I have already had two .cper-
ations, and while was at the hos
pital the last time my baby roy
stuck q rusty nail in his foot and
the older boy got q cat scratch In
the face which became infected, snd
with no mother to look after them
they both nearly had blood poison
ing. Their father does everything a
man can possibly do for his chill
dren, but he has to go to his work
every day and cannot look after their
physical needs, much less their
moral and mental ones,
Must Love Children.
I'm the first place q woman who
would come into a home under s.n
arraneement like this would have to
be an unusual woman. She would
have to be broad-minded. big hearted.
with a, vision and ideals above the