The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-23

enter into correspondence with those strangers whose object is matrmony.
 sa DOROTHY DIX.
 Dear Dorothy Dix: I am seventeen years old and live in a small town in Jersey I work as typist. Here are my troubles: My first trouble is that I long to be physical train ing teacher and am not allowed to
 go through with it. It would be the simplest matter for my father to get me position, but he won't.
 My second trouble. is that I make
 a small salary, which I turn over to my mother, and any time that want
 clothes I have to fight, fight. fight for them.
 My third trouble is that I am quite popular and know some of the peachiest boys, but my father for bids my going out much. Dorothy Dix, how in the name of common sense am I ever to get husband if I am not permitted to go about, for the boys can get plenty of girls who can go? When I do go out, what do I do? I drink and smoke, and am as wild as possible, but I wouldn't do anything like that if l were permit ted to have the fun I am entitled to with nice boys who respect me.
 You can't tell my father anything. When I try to reason with him about it he flares up, and it ends in quar- rel. What do you advise? can't stand it any longer.
 A WILD, WILD GIRL.
 Answer: Poor little girl! I am so sorry for you and for your father. because between you you are running such ter rible risk of running life. It IS the most cruel thing in the world that parents and children don't talk the same language and that they so seldom can make each other under stand things. Your father thinks you are little goose-and a baby goose, at that-and you think that he is hard, grinding tyrant, and you are both right and you are both wrong, and you don't know how to compromise.
 But let's take up your troubles one by one. First, get the idea of being a physical trainer out of your head, unless you are willing to go through a long and arduous training that re- Quires intelligence and money and hard study and. hard work. don [ think you want to bother with that, | because you are looking for fun and husband, and not career. As for trouble number two, perhaps you are unjust, perhaps your mother gives ] you all the clothes she can possibly afford to give you Mothers love to see their girls dressed prettily, and 1t is far more likely that your mother gives her pin money to you than that she holds out on your pay envelope. Trouble number three is boys" l Can you honestly blame your father for being strict with you when you show that you have not | enough poise to be trusted? If you | smoke and drink and are "as wild as possible" your father is only doing | his duty to try to protect you against your own folly. Don't think that you are revenging yourself upon him by misbehaving. It is you who will have to pay the price of your esca- pades.
 But what pity 1t is that silly lit. l tie girls and stern fathers can't get together and talk it overl That ia l thers can't be made to see that youth kfnust have its fling, and it's pleas
 ures! And that, if it can't get its fling legitimately, youth will take il
 on the sly. And what a pity girls won't listen to reason and be guided by those who know the world as they ! do not! f