Her shoes were also much too small. The housecoat I've mentioned was possible because it didn't have sleeves. We decided that we wouldn't buy anything for me but some kind of shoe that wouldn't look so out of place, but she did keep some sort of a garment that I could get over my shoulders.

With the war over, I re-enlisted and our family came along. With the arrival of our second girl, my wife still planned on a larger family--but that was in the future. Her children consumed all her time and interest. I was not to miss our interrupted personal relations so much as her lack of interest in her person- al appearance. Her taste in clothing had always been on the plain side anyway, but her indifference to her own dress meant that I, too, didn't have nice things to wear. I couldn't arouse more interest no matter how I tried. I started buying her gifts that I myself would like, but she was not pleased at all and I began getting things just for myself. This wasn't wise as I was carried away once I'd started and I was inclined to buy more than I should. I would have thought she would have fussed about it but she didn't. I'm happy that I was able to realize this and keep myself in check as well as I did.

She didn't wish me to leave the service but I thought it best. I have often wondered if it wasn't that she was afraid I'd cause her embarrasment among her friends and family at home. We bought a home and I took to fixing it up. My plans called for two rooms on the back upstairs retained for myself when the child- ren became older. I only managed to get the living part of the house refinished for my wife was "called home" suddenly, and with- out sickness. In this day of wonder drugs you don't expect a person to go to the doctor with what seems like a slight cold at ten and be dead before supper time.

So, being left alone so suddenly with two such small child- ren, I didn't see how I could go on. The well-intentioned women of the neighborhood rushed in to do what they could. I thought they would tear the house upside down. By asking nicely just to be left alone for a day or two, they left.

The only thing I could see to do was to get an elderly house- keeper, and go back to being completely male. I couldn't man- age then, I knew, with any female apparel around. So I gathered

48