p.

11.

wrong too. You have written me exactly what you
were thinking & feeling & that is what you must
always do to me - promise, please. But angel darling,
you must try to be happier & more content - & not go
out of your way to wring the last drop of misery
out of the cup. I'm not discounting for one minute
the utter foulness of the situation, God knows I'm
too miserable myself to do that. But it will be
so bad for you to be so continually unhappy,
& almost seeking unhappiness - & snapping at your
ma - & allowing that silly Peggy & impossible
Kenneth to upset you - & admitting that your
nerves have gone to pot. You will spoil your
temper & your nerves for good & all if you go on
like this - & give yourself wrinkles & lines too!
Nerves & temper are a state of mind & very much a
creation of habit, I know. I have periods when
I am impossible & snap & yap at everybody & every
little thing annoys me & positively jags my nerves.
And then I have to tell myself to control
myself & I come out alright again. If you have
to be a cabbage there is no use in being a
temperamental cabbage - you must be a real one.
And not only must you stick it, you must
make the best of it & make it your mind
that no thing & no body is going to upset
you or spoil your peace of mind. Several
million men at home are lucky to be still
at home. But several 100,000 men are