Evening star., 1936-10-22

problems. Pernap6 II may
- contain o suggestion that will
help some other woman. My first was
the mother-in-law problem. My hus-
bands mother is q splendid woman,
but bossy. and she boasted that no
matter where she was she would be
the captain of the ship"
The first time she came to see us
after our marriage she interrupted me
continually while I was giving my
order to the butcher by suggesting
different things and saying what she
would do. ! pretended not to hear
her, but when 1t was over I said to
her: Mother, I think your are a
grand housekeeper. My mother was
q fine housekeeper, too, but I'm going
to keep house my own way. I'll make
mistakes and when I need advice you
are the person will come to, but first
am going to try my way.
when ! visited you, acted like q
guest. made no criticisms on the
way you did things. offered no
suggestions and did not in any way
try to upset your house or plans. Why
don't you treat me the same way?
Act like . guest when you come to
see me. Be company. I'll be happy
to cater to your likes and dislikes as
soon as I learn your taste"
MY HUSBAND was Mortified when
" he heard the conversation. No
one had ever dared cross his mother
before, and he thought she would be
furious, but she burst out in a big
laugh and said she would try. Since
then we have always been the best
friends and she has never interfered
with me. I think young housekeepers
should assert their rights to be the
heads Of their own houses. It Is easy
to call o blufi.
My next problem in married life
was the extravaganza Of my husband
A successful young lawyer, he loved
social life. His credit was good and
the bills accumulated, not over months
but actually over years. 1t worried
me, 50 I finally took the problem tc
his banker. who was also close friend
and this was his advice: your hus-
band is extravagant by nature, but he
Is also proud Of the confidence people
have In him, and honest, and he will
meet his obligations some time. How.
ever, IL you ever hope to accumulate
anything you will have to start buying
on credit yourself, but buy q home
and good stocks and bonds anc
charge them"
I started of with one share Of stock
could pay $40 . month for it until j
was paid for. but my husband had II
pay that $40 promptly on the 1st O
each month. Before he had paid fol
that I had him bargaining for hom'
on the same basis. ! kept him up Il
his ears in debt paying for things tina
had real value until he got as en-
thusiastic about saving as was.
RUT I have one problem still un
- solved and that is what to do wit
the telephone hound. I mean tn
woman who gets you on the wire an
tells you of her troubles, her famil
affairs, the neighborhood gossip. Talk
and talks by the hour, wasting you
time and boring you until you ar
ready to curse the day that Mr.. Bel
made his immortal invention.
In vain you tell her that you ar
busy, that thousand things are press
ing on you to do. Nothing stops hel
She is enjoying herself and she shoul
worry about being a public pest. Whs
to do about her nobody knows, becaus
she is a universal afiiction. Can 20
suggest remedy? r. s. 3.
Answer-Alas, can throw no ligf
on this dark subject. can only min
gle my tears with yours for, like 20
and like every one else, am martyr
lied daily by the telephone hound VIII
devours my busy hours with her tai
and tears my working schedule
pieces. She Is like taxes and death
! something that we cannot avoid.
The only remedy that have eve
been able to think Of is that the tS,s
phone company should put prohbi
tive rate on all conversations that ez
ceed three minutes. That is Ion
enough for anybody to say 'anythin
that they have any business discuss
, ing over the phone. The~other sue
gestions in this letter are 50 wise an
so helpful that I commend them
all brides.
II 4
NEAR MISS DIX: My wife and
- have been exceptionally happ
together. No home could have bee