Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1947-06-13
By KATHLEEN NORRIS

d" Howe from Oregon. "Six
L years ago my mother had
an affair with a married man
I will call him Harry-which
caused talk that even as little
girl I understood only to well. A
little later both were divorced,
and my mother married Harry.
"My father, devoted to me, was
without relatives and had to travel
a lot in connection with war sup
plies, and consequently have
lived since with mother and Harry.
They have twin girls, of whom I am
very fond, Patricia and Shirley.
dad has married again and lives
in Alaska; my stepmother is for
eign-born, intensely nervous and
jealous, and there are difficulties for
all three of us when I live with
them.
Mother and Harry have quar-
relied continually almost from the
first; he is hot-tempered man, and
can never be crossed even in the
slightest particular without making
a scene There are scenes at break
fast and at dinner and all day Sum
day. If a door is open or if it is
shut, if the twins make any noise,
or if mother sends them upstairs to
prevent noise, it is all one to Harry,
he raves and shouts-and in the eve
nings drinks, until there is no home
spirit or peace at all.
eff any woman comes in for a
few minutes to see mother, he is
like a child, interrupting and dis
tracing her, and is always angry
afterward. He is stingy with money,
but wants a good table and to have
her and the children looking well all
the time. am dependent upon him,
and although I do work hard as
nurse, bed-maker, cook, dishwasher
and all the rest of it, he reminds me
of my obligation to him almost ev-
cry day.
my mother was so desperate
few months ago that she told me of
her plan to divorce him. We said
we would open a boarding house,
school, anything, rather than 60 on
this way. But severe cold last
winter, combined of course with IA
tigue and nervous pressure, result
ed in rheumatism, which has made
her almost helpless. She does what
she can, from her chair; I do all
can, and the rest simply doesn't
get done, so that Harry is in state
of fury most of the time.
A Marriage Offer.
meanwhile, a college friend Of
my father, 48, well-fixed, and always
like a kindly uncle to me, has lost
his wife, has boy of 10, and wants
me to marry him. His devotion is
unquestioned, and I do love little
Pete. Barney has two good serv-
ants in his house, as we'll as a cousin
his age, who is his office nurse, and
Pete has lunch at school, so that
my duties would not be hard. I
have received my fathers willing
consent to my marriage, and while,
on my side, it would not be a girls
ideal of young love, yet I do want
security, peace, the pride of being
wanted and filling place in some
ones home and heart, that I think
could promise that Barney never
would be sorry.
Barney has been Uncle Barn
and his cousin Aunt Phyllis ever
since my babyhood; they want me,
and God knows want to 60 to them.
But there is mother, and the three
year-old twins. Will you advise an
almost distracted girl as to what is
right? I will be II in September.
I don't dare even breach the plan
to mother, much less pack my
things and kiss her and the little
girls good-by. NBarney's house, a
| lovely old-fashioned place in a gar