The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1940-04-25
By NORRIS

By r
COMETIMES a dreadful dullnes'
- comes into married life. for tn
~ woman. Not illness, not trou
BILE, not money worry, but just in
siderable dizziness.
Life for Betty goes on without ex
element without thrill. The kitch
en- routine proceeds placidly; the
children 60 to school; Ed comes
home and has his dinner and goes
out to his lodge meeting. Betty
helps the boy and girl with home
work, turns on the radio, yawns,
mends a sweater and then decides
to 60 to bed.
Sometimes this even flow Of I'm.
%eventful days frightens an intelli.
gent woman. Earthquake, flood OF
fire might horrify her, but at least
they would find her active, ade.
quate, swept off her feet in the sud-
den new demand. But monotony
scares her. She remembers other
days, eager joyous days of girlhood,
dances, laughter, the glory of her
engagement and marriage, the fun
Of showing off the new house, OF
telling her friends that she and Ed
were expecting a baby. The baby's
coming. too, was al occasion never
to be forgotten; the furry Of getting
him started; the happy. wearying
absorption in his needs. and the
needs Of the second baby. All this
might have been firing, anxious, re-
sponsib1e, but it was satisfying and
triumphant, too.
Ten Years Later.
But now, 10 years married, with
the thirties beginning to slide by.
with Ed taking everything quietly
for granted, and only articulate
when dinner isn't satisfactory or
little Ned sleeps too late in the
morningi-now comes a pause.
And somehow the wife and mother
knows that it is a dangerous pause,
and that something must be done
about it or it may have lasting and
serious results.
Floyd leaves the house at eight
thirty" writes a Kansas wife. Il
60 to the door with him and kiss
him good-by. Then I get the two
boys off for school, and turn back
into my quiet house for morning
dust. planning of meals. At noon I
have a cup Of soup or matted milk
and a sandwich, and afterward lie
down and rest for awhile. Then
perhaps shopping. a movie, a club
meeting, a hospital call.
"At five. I am occupied in the
kitchen, with the table to set. Floyd
IS home, and there is quiet talk of
he did all day and what I did,
not either interesting or important
% either hearer, and then we settle
iown to evening paper and radio,
or, on rare occasions, have guests
or dinner and bridge-very poor
all round, with nobody sure
If the scoring-or Floyd goes out
md 1 am alone.
Goes On-No Change.
Everything pleasant, friendly,
ust as it was last year and will be
lext year. Our income is small,
enough. we all have good health,
questions Of budget and allowance
we're long ago adjusted. My hus-
'and is a trusted employee in a
ubber firm; his salary is $3.50 a
week. Recently he asked for a
weekly raise of $3.50 and was re-
used. It would have made some
Inference to us. but not an impor-
ant one.
What can I do to make u
YES nor exciting and glamorous?
am a home woman; I know 1
.ould be more than satisfied with
hat I have. But I'm not. I'm
estless and bored. Floyd's people
re straight American. My grand
ather was a general in the Spanish
rmy 80 years ago; my mother
wedish. Is it the mixed blood that
lakes me at once shy and eager?
did not speak English until I was
ight years old"
The obvious answer to Lola is that
lie has more now than nine-tenths
; the women Of the world have,
nd that ninety-nine hundredths of