Evening star., 1936-07-09
EAR DOROTHY DIX:

live On small! farm, one
hours ride from the city. We
are young couple Of small
means and have three little children.
We work hard to try to get along and
deny ourselves every luxury. But here
Is our trouble: Friends and kinfolks.
We are fond Of them and enjoy them,
but we can't afford them. They are
literally eating us out Of house and
home. On the week ends they will
descend on us Is or 20 strong and eat
up q weeks supply Of provisions, so
by Monday we don't even have milk
for the children. We have wrestled
with this problem for three or four
years without finding any solution for
it. I do all of my own housework
and it keeps me tied to the range so
that don't have time to even speak
TO the guests who are so lavish in
their praise but not with their money
for the good food give them. What
to do? FARMERS WIFE.
Answer.-If I were you I should
write q nice little note to each and
every one Of your self-invited guests
and tell them that on account OF the
depression you have decided to earn
little pin money by serving meals over
the week end at so much for dinner,
so much for lunch and so much for
supper, and that you hope very much
that you will have their patronage.
Make it plain to them that there will
be no free list and be sure TO present
your bill to the very first ones who
come, so he or she will see that it is
no bluff on your part, and that they
have to pay for what they eat.
Get busy at once with your an
nouncement that you have turned
your house into a pay restaurant in
stead Of free hotel, for the Summer
is the time when grafters are abroad
in the land and when everybody who
lives ON q farm or has a country place
Is the predestined victim of those who
want to eat and drink without money
and without price. They are the
worst form Of road hog.
Why people who in the Winter time
and in town would never dream of
inviting themselves to your house to
visit or to a meal. nor would they be
capable of the impertinence of taking
along with them a lot of their family
and friends and superimposing them
upon your hospitality, commit these
crimes against even common decency
In the Summer time, nobody knows.
But they do.
Everybody who lives out of town
has experienced the sudden passion
Of affection and longing to see them
that arises in July and August in the
the breasts of their city friends and
relatives who write or telegraph that
they can't be parted from them any
longer and 10 meet them at the $50
train on Saturday and that they are
coming for a nice long visit.
AND everybody who has country
= place knows the awful sinking
that comes in the pits Of their stom-
achs when they see a crowded auto /
mobile drive up and seven or eight !
people descend therefrom demanding
highballs and food. They are Just |
starved and any little thing will DO,
provided II consists Of a square meal !
And they have brought along their
friends, the Joneses and the Smiths, |
whom they know you are Just dying
to meet and to feed.
Usually the hostess gives these
spongers q welcome that Is cold
enough to freeze the cocktail in their
glasses, but it does no good. No barbed
speech penetrates their rhinoceros'
hides. They have saved few dol
lars by passing by all of the hot-dog
stands and restaurants that streW the
road. and they should worry that they
have made you treat them and their
friends. They forget that it is 10
times more trouble TO entertain COM
pany in the country than it is in
town, and that you have come to the
country yourself for a rest, which
you never get. something Snoulo pc
done about the dead-beat guest.
y
DEAR MISS DIX: My husband Is
an A-1-plus perfect piece Of hu-
manity. He doesn't drink, smokes
moderately and remembers always TO
use the ashtray. He Is instantly con-
cerned If look blue or not well, and
he does something about 1t. Plans for
good time or takes me to the doctor.
He gives me all the money want.
Never makes me feel that he Is hold
ing the purse strings. He is always
bringing home little treats that are
sweetening to any woman's soul. He
is man enough to be head of the