Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1947-11-28
By KATHLEEN NORRIS
Bell Syndicate.-WNU

. all very we'll LOT you,
writes Janet Painter from
l. Milwaukee, ito advise us,
as you recently did, to reduce
our housekeeping to a minimum,
but what about me? I have the
kind of husband who sees every
speck of dust, who wants every
thing in order, who finds the
children's racket very Distress
ing, who will eat whatever din
ner I prepare, but asks wistfully
when we are going to have steak
again-as if we didn't have it as
often, and more often, than I
can afford it.
1--WE have two small daughters,
and son aged eight, who has al
ways been delicate. Sometimes
Frank scolds because the girls tease
Francis, sometimes he criticizes
me because they ignore him. Often
the way I dress annoys him; other
wives, he says, are always smart.
I get so that I dread his coming
into the house at night. Who left a
toy on the lawn, who left the gate
open, why didn't I telephone him
that the painter was here, what is
this long distance charge on the
telephone bill?
1T is the incessant cross-exami-
nation that exasperates and ex-
hausts me. My days are one long
struggle with duties only half-done,
for the twins are too young for
school, and Francis is in bed most
of the time. read your article about
cutting down, ignoring what is not
essential, trying for easiness rather
than perfection. But it doesn't work
in my house. Franks mother was
European born. she had nine chill
dren; he says she kept them and
the house scrupulously clean, served
wonderful meals, and knitted socks
and wove bedcovers in her spare
time.
European Traditions.
Zone daughter told me that they
used to be switched if they didn't
wear a school-dress five days, and
the sons tell me many stories of
punishments unjustly administered
and home chores that kept them
tired. But although in moments of
anger remind Frank that we live
in an entirely different world, it
seems to make no impression. He
goes right on nagging, nagging, nag
ging.
"When the hot summer days
came on this year I quoted to him
what you said of feeding children
out-of-doors, to save table-setting
and after-meal sweeping. 1t fretted
Frank to have me handle even the
children in this informal way, and
when finally included him and
myself in back-garden dinner, he
carried his plate indoors, set him
self place in the dining room and
ate his meal there.
lover and over again he says i'm
patiently to me, You're only doing
what other women do. I'd give
you good cook if I could, but we
cannot pay more than a thousand a
year for domestic help. You send
out the heavy wash, my mother
never did that. You have a washing
machine, refrigerator, electric light,
gas stove, perpetual hot water; she
never had any of those things. For
heavens sake pull yourself together
and be a woman!'
Nothing Seems to Help.
"I've tried everything. I've tried
resting after lunch, when the chill
dren nan. and then beinp trenoen-
dously busy when Frank gets home,
busting, baking, hanging out clothes.
No use. And yet at the same time
Frank is so right, so admired, so
successful. We are saving one-third
Of our income for a home, he is in
line for quick promotions. He is ten
der and helpful with the children,
and he is magnetic, handsome,
blond, full of fun when he is in