The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-01-19
Cynthia Grey Says:
A House May Not BE Il Home
1T May BE Il Prison
ny CYNTHIA GREY

Did you ever hear Of families be-
ing made miserable by houscsy
VI course, you have. You are,
thinking right now of the Blanks and
that $4,000 Dutch Colonial Of theirs !.
You were over there the Other
night and vowed you would never
so again because Of that terrible
frown that puckercd Mrs. Blanks. ala
baster brow when you rocked into
the woodwork.
And you noticed the glance thrown
Mr.. Blank when his old knees wob-
bied his dcmi.tasse cup, spilling il
over one of Mrs. Blanks cluny nap
kins.
And you got to thinking of the
days when MIR. Blank made his So
day as bricklaycr before he got
rich invcnting that new pressed
brick.
But | am thinking of houses which
crush lives in another way.
In Ruins
Let me tell you about Marian.
Marian found her safe and serene
world fallen in ruins about her five
years ago when her father suddenly
died.
Marian hadn't reckoncd with this
Dad SO much. She had been away
at college four years. During school
terms Dad was the fellow who sent
the monthly check right on the dot
and the fellow she bought box Of
linen handkcrchiefs for at Christmas.
He was the man, too, to whose
funeral she was called home in her
senior year.
Dad had bought house while
Marian was in school-to surprise
her when she got home. 1t debut
differently than he had thought.
Even while the contralto sang "Rock
of Ages" over Dads caskct, Marian
was conscious Of what that house
would mean.
Mothers wanted house all her
life. l can't leave her now and it's
cruel to even think Of taking her
from this home that shes; waited for
all these years.
But If we could only 20 back to
school together, we could take that
little fiat near the campus and Mile
and Irene would rent rooms and that
would keep her and / could finish
school,"
But mother, constantly damp from
her tears, could not be burtiencd with
the additional fright of leaving he,
new "house." And Marian hunted 4,
job.
Opportunities for wage-earning
girl arc necessarily limited if the
girl must stick to one territory only.
For five years Marian has Tough.
that grim fight which every business,
woman knows Of trying to make eco.
nomic security for herself and her
mother, for their future years when
her wage-earning powers will be di-
Out West
Again and again there's been a
school out West Offering her 4 good
teaching job, an advertising agency
job in the East-hcr
friends tout there" call TO her, but
must stay with her mother
and the house, far away from all her
former friends and interests.
ITS a nice house," says Marian,
but how hate it. It's taken my
freedom, every bit of it, away. Every
time come up the street and see it,
say to myself. Tied, tied, tied"
But Marian's mother thinks it $50
sweet" that they have this "littlc
home nest" together!
Women of generation ago made
much foldcr0l over houses. They
meant almost as much as family to
them, because women had no inter-
csts outside their homes,
But today's girl, her mind busy
with a hundred vital businesses or
professional problems, makes any
place home where she must hang her|
hat.
And there's the rub.