The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1943-04-15
By KATHLEEN NORRIS


r comes the following letter.
L It typifies a situation that
isn't entirely unusual, and out
lines a problem that is so i'm
portant, that I give it in full.
''My husband and I have been
married nine years; we are both
3d." writes Edna Lee. eve had
an income of 81, 100 year when
our oldest son was born, in the
following five years three other
boys followed, my husbands
pay rising slowly in that time to
about $1,000, on which I man.
aged to keep a comfortable home,
feed my man and my boys, and keep
well and out of debt. My babies
were born in semi-private rooms at
the local hospital; I have never had
regular household help, but Eds
mother lived with us until her sec
ond marriage, four years ago.
1.-TWO years ago Ed got better
job; he has risen steadily in these
busy times and now is getting a
little more than five thousand a year.
The cottage we had been renting is
in a nice quiet part of town, with a
vegetable garden, few fruit trees
and sheds and an old windmill that
are the children's playground. I be-
gan to make payments on it more
than year ago, and within a few
months we will own it outright.
''My problem is this: All these
years Ed has been a quiet, devoted
husband. He said from the begin
ming that he wanted only sons, and
I felt I was fortunate that our chill
dren were boys, but when David was
born two years ago Ed expressed
great disappointment and has never
been as fond of the child as he is
of the others. About a year ago
very attractive girl, now q, became
his stenographer, and took it upon
herself to call upon me and tell me
that she and Ed were devoted to
each other, but that I might put my
mind at rest as there was nothing
wrong going on.
when I taxed Ed with this he
laughed and said that she was just
romancing, but later he talked to
me of her as if he was glad to dwell
on the subject. I could see that she
fascinated him and I Immediately
suspected why he was so often
obliged to stay late at the Office.
Mother Busy at Home.
''That truly didn't annoy me.
had a beautiful baby to play with,
three splendid little boys to train
and love, and my time was more
than full. From David's six o'clock
wall to seven-o' clock goodnight
kisses and prayers IL hours later
I never have one moments peace,
and I love it. My homework never
gets monotonous because I am con-
tinually trying new systems and
making small changes, perhaps put
ting the boys supper table in an
other corner, or trying out on them
clothes that don't show dirt and dom t
have to be ironed. I am a good
cook, and Eds main complaint is
that he is putting on weight.
''But nothing pleases him any
more. He won't. have even break
fast in the kitchen. He's sick of
babble about kids He wonders
why I don't do my hair differently.
I think he often stops afternoons at
her house-the stenographer's house
for sandwiches and a drink, for
smell the liquor on his breath, and
his appetite for dinner is not what
it was. He wants nothing but steaks
and chops, and calls noodles or
macaroni 'wop food and won't eat
them. I give him one mammoth cup
of coffee every morning, as I have
never wanted more than half cup;
he frets over limitation.
'What I'm writing about however
is this: There is to be company
dinner and dance IN about three