The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-04-02
By KATHLEEN NORRIS
(Ber syndicate-wNU Service. !,

VAN any marriage turn
out happily when the
~ bride is only 49,"
Texas mother writes me, "and
when the husband, only a year
older, has never done a days
work m his life, but has to de-
pend upon his father for sup
port? --.
''This is the case with my only
and adored child, Lolita" the
letter goes on, 'and it is break
ing my heart. For weeks have
been unable to sleep for more
than an hour or two at time,
lying awake practically all
Woodworking, worrying, wor-
rying. Lolita is madly in love,
Leonard is as crazy as she is,
and their plans for the future
have about as much practical
sense as if they were babies of
3 and 4!
'Lesnard's father sends him SIS a
month, and says he will continue to
do SO until the boy graduates, fund
having been left for this purpose by
his grandfather. But that fund is ex-
hausted except for something only
a little ever thousand, now, and
when that is gone, what?
Lolita wants me to give them
three-room housekeeping apartment
IN my house as my contribution. I
usually get $25 month for it. And
she feels that IF we run out of food
We can always run in and have din
ner with Mother
Mother in Despair.
''This is so far from being my
idea Of a right and happy marriage
for her that I am in despair. am
a practical woman with a houseful
of boarders; I have supported my
daughter since my husband died,
but somehow don't seem to get on
top of this particular worry.
knowing Lolita, I know that she
win throw herself into this new stu
alton as if it were game she was
playing. For awhile everything will
be fun and novelty, and then like
child she will want to throw it all
aside. Our religion does not permit
second marriages; when her fancy
turns to someone else she will have
10 sacrifice either her faith or her
happiness, and it seems to me some
times as if I could not bear to watch
this process of suffering and dis
llusioHment going on.
do you not think that the ages of
10 and 20 are far too young for a
woman and man to enter into the
sacreaness of marriage? Do you be-
heve, as I do, that there should be
laws forbidding marriage until both
persons are-say Is years of age?
Finally, do you know of any argu-
ment or warning that will save this
girl of mine from taking a step that
may cost her years of bitterness?
'sShe will be Is in April. She and
Len tea me pleasantly, but firmly,
that they will be married that day,
with nay permission and blessing if
possible, but married anyway, with
or without il"
No Age Is Safe.
This distracted mother chooses for
her pseudonym ''Thirty-nine." So
she was not much older than Lolita
when she herself was married. Lo-
Eta evidently is like her mother.
If girl has been petted and
spoiled, INDUCED in everything,
brought up in ignorance of the SIM
plest rules of cooking, housekeeping,
budgeting; if she is accustomed to
having her own way in everything,
being praised and fattered; and if,
consequently, she is impractical, ex-
aravagant, idle, selfish, then she
won't make a good wife at 10, or
"A, or 80.
But II, on the other hand, she is a
eonsiderate, self-effacing, affection
ate, practical, home-loving and
baby-loving soul, and really loves