Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-03-24
By KATHLEEN NORRIS
Bell Syndicate.-wNU Features

THAT'S what Miriam Wolfe
calls herself-her sons
L wife's servant. She writes
me from San Diego, California,
of the problem in the Wolfe
household, and it isn't an unu-
sual one.
Miriam is 81; her son Clyde
just 20 years younger, and his
wife, Marie, about 30. There are
two children, Babs and Butch,
aged 7 and 3. They live in
large house that is shared by
Marie's two brothers and her
widowed sister, Ada. Ada and
Marie, Clyde and the brothers
all work; their united income
runs to almost twelve hundred
a month. This is Miriam's story:
"When my good husband
died, nine years ago, he left
me small annuity. I lived with my
sister until her death two years ago,
then took a good job in ship-build-
ing plant, and made about $45
week. Five months ago, Marie, my
sons wife, came to me with propo-
sition. Their home was simply going
to wreck and ruin; the children i'm
pudent and neglected, the two wom-
en- overworked and nervous. She and
Clyde and Ada talked me into NOV
ing in with them, giving up my job,
and managing their house. For this
I was to be paid SIS week, that is,
five dollars from each one of the
workers. Since that meant no rent
or living expenses and no factory
deductions for me, it was more
than even break and I made that
arrangement. Marie's hours are
from midnight to eight in the morn
ing, she sleeps all morning, but the
understanding was that she was to
take charge of the children after
Babs comes home from school and
Butch wakes up from his nap.
Young Folks Don't Keep Agreement.
''Well, this worked for about three
weeks. Then Marie began to make
afternoon engagements, 1 had all
the homework as well as the care
of the children, marketing, tele-
phone, beds, dishes, and often the
baby's wash, since laundries are
irregular. More than that, the FIVE
dollar bills that were supposedly
laid at my plate every Sunday morn
ing, began to come in spurts, at odd
times, so that there was no keeping
track of them, or at least Marie's
brothers seemed unable to keep
track of them. Clyde was always on
time, and often paid Marie's share,
but Ada, helping me with dishes or
making her own bed for few morn
ings, would say playfully: oh, I'm
one of the help now, l don't have to
pay. It's for Mama to pay mel
cat this moment" the latter fin
ishes, II have two babies quaran-
tined with whooping cough; l have
not been out of the house for Ten
days; the entire family has gone off
to New Year celebrations. In check
ing my books find that am owed
exactly S105, yet every one of them
is sure am all paid up. This comes
of putting down ten, or couple
of ones, and saying I'll pay you
the rest soon,' and then feeling that
for weeks everything is all right.
II am working too hard, trying to
do too much, getting no help. The
one thing that keeps me here is my
beloved Clyde, who is happier, is
eating better, is having some home
comfort with Mama on the job.
Since came, the girls grudge even
helping me with the dishes, and
will call downstairs their orders for
more hot water and early supper as
if I was a slave-and that's what I
am. Shall I desert them all-my
beloved son and dear little grand
children and go off somewhere
alone? What shall I do?"
Mothers Work Not Appreciated.
My answer is, my dear Mrs.
Wolfe, that you are one of the mil
lions of housekeepers today whose
increased problems and absolutely
insoluble difficulties are not appre-
ciated by the working force Of the
family. Our factory and shipyard
workers know what they are do
ing Is supremely important; they