The Coolidge examiner., 1932-06-03

upon her and, above all, upon their
children.
And yet in AIMS heart the fear
for them of the stigma of separated
parents was even greater.
For six years the condition waged.
Little Adele, a blue-eyed doll of
child whom Donald adored when
sober, had literally been reared in a
home of snarIing domestic tragedy.
Bobbie, the boy, could tell by the
sound of fathers feet on the stairs
when he was returning home drunk,
and would run screaming and Sob
bing to his mothers side.
Gathering these babies to her,
sometimes it seemed to Ann that
her hands were dark with sin for
having brought them into the world
What mattered ii that their home
was lavish? That their father, when
sober, adOred and pampered them?
The atmosphere of that home was
drenched in horror. When their IA
ther came into 1t, he smirched his
children by his very presence.
One evening, such a shocking
scene took place in that home
when Donald returned to it in the
company of one of the women of
dreadful finery he was known to
associate with-and entered the
very room in which his children and
wife were having their dinner
that without taking time to contem-
plate the results, Ann packed up
her children, bag and baggage, and
with them left the house.
She went back to a boarding
house she had lived in during the
years of her work in the uptown
department store.
The next day Ann sent for her
nurse from the house she had left,
and engaged her to take care Of the
children in the rooming house while
she sought out a position.
The old store was glad to take
her back at an increased salary, a
sufficient increase to enable Ann to
keep the nurse maid and leave her
children in the care of this rep
utable woman while she went daily
to her work.
1t was not the ideal environment.
But the two small boarding house
rooms responded to chintz and
white paint, and when Ann returned
TO them evenings, she did so Sc
cure in the knowledge that her chill
dren's little ears would know only
her loving greetings and that their
little hearts would expand in an at
mosphere of peace and love-
No, it is by no means the ideal
solution. AIMS struggle is a bitter
/ one. She will not accept help from
Donald even for the children. But
the two little rooms represent some
thing that the big house never boast
ed. Tranquility. The secure knowl-
elge that the delicate growing
minds Of her Bobbie and Adele will
know only the sunlight of harmony
and the kind of gentle environ
ment that it is AIMS life hope to
provide them with.
Now, as Ann looks back upon 1t
all, upon the turbulence of the
years, the agonized moments of in
decision, the fear of making the
break from the so-called security
her husbands board-and-keep gave
her in the community, she realizes
that the cruel thing to her chill
dren would have been to remain
with them there. Vassals to a ia.
ther who would provide them only
with the material things of life.
Prisoners in a home where their
little spirits were hourly subjected
to the withering environment of dis
harmony and ugliness.
AIMS children no longer hear
words OF bicker and anger. AIMS
children no longer run terrified at
the sound of a step upon the stair.
Beauty thrives in those boarding
house rooms. The beauty of peace
and contentment.
1t is said of Donald Mutrie that
he has since come to his senses and
that a strangely sobered and regret
full man is making every possible
advance to his wife in the hope of
regaining her confidence and resum-
ing life. with her on a sound and
fresh basis.
Whatever AIMS ultimate decision.
she starts for her work each morn.
ing with a high head and a high
heart.
In her opinion she has kept her
self-respect.
In her opinion she has done the
right thing by her children.
Survived Despite Lack