who are established with cars, and didn't think that the Russian girl was getting a good break in America.
Mr. Rankin. Were there any differences between you and Lee Oswald or Marina while they were in your home? Did you have any quarrels?
Mrs. Oswald. No, sir, no, sir, none at all.
Now, there was one thing. And I will point out the character of my son, and what I am saying about the playpen and so on.
Now, this was all done within a few weeks time. They moved there—they left my home in July, and they moved there in August, and then they moved to Dallas in October. So it was in this period of time that all these things were accumulated from Russian friends.
And no man likes other people giving—interfering in his way of living, and giving all these things to his wife that he himself cannot supply. This is a human trait, I would say.
Now, I want to bring this story up.
I could not afford to buy a bed for my grandchild, because I have worked prior to this for nothing. The job that I had quit I was making $25 a week, gentlemen—a 24-hour live-in job. The jobs prior to this I worked for $10 a week, 7 days a week, a live-in job.
Because of Lee's so-called defection, and my accident, the way I was treated, left destitute, without any medical or compensation, I decided to devote my life to humanity, and I became a practical nurse. And I have worked for $5 a week, living in the place.
So I had no money, I had $200 saved, when I came to Fort Worth, and that is what I rented the house with, and brought the food with.
So then that leaves me broke.
So I gave up a job in order to help this girl.
So to get back now to the home, Mr. Rankin—we had no quarrels. This month was beautiful. Marina was very happy.
I had the car and the television, and we went around.
As I say, they were free to go and come like they want. They would take long walks.
If you are not familiar with Fort Worth, Tex., from the Rotary Apartment to Leonard Brothers is approximately 3 miles, and they used to walk there, and they came home—Marina came home with a Cancan petticoat and some hose that Lee bought here with a few dollars that Robert and I had given him—he spent on his wife.
So that was a very happy time.
Now, when they lived in the home on Mercedes Street that he rented, I was employed as an OB, a nurse, in Fort Worth, Tex., at an OB's salary. And that salary, gentlemen, will astonish you. I worked, lived in, for $9 a day, 24 hours duty.
On an OB case—I am very busy with the baby all day long because people are coming in and out, giving presents and so on. I have a 10 o'clock feeding for the baby. And it is approximately 11 o'clock before I am through and in bed. The baby is up again at 2 o'clock. It is approximately 3:30 before I am through again with the baby. The baby is up again at 5:30. And it is approximately—then my day starts. I am stressing the point that I worked for $9 a day during all that, a $9 a day job. So that is 7 days a week, $63.
Now, this is the first time I have had a nurse's salary, I want you to understand.
So with my first pay, I bought Marina clothes, I bought the baby clothes, and I brought food into this home. I went all out for Marina. I just love her, and was just thrilled to death with her. And I bought a highchair. I could not afford a bed, because I didn't have enough money to buy the bed. So that is why I bought the clothes and things of that sort. But I bought the baby a highchair.
Mr. Rankin. How did Marina treat you then?
Mrs. Oswald. Fine. But then Marina was not satisfied with the things that I bought her.
As you see, the way I am properly dressed—I don't say I mean to be the height of fashion, but I have—before becoming a nurse I was in the business world, and I have been a manager in the merchandise field. So I do know clothes.
And I bought her some shorts. And she wanted short shorts, like the Americans. She pictured America in her mind evidently.
And I bought her a little longer shorts.
And "I no like, Mama."
I said, "Marina, you are a married woman and it is proper for you to have a little longer shorts than the younger girls."
"No, Mama."
And I will stress this—that Marina was never too happy—"No, Mama, no nice, no, Mama, no this."
That was perfectly all right. I thought she didn't understand our ways. I didn't feel badly about it.
I am going to get back to the highchair, to give you a picture of my son.
I bought the highchair and brought it over there, and Lee was not at home. And Marina didn't know what a highchair was. And she told me in Russian. I said, "How do they feed babies in Russia?" By this time, June was 4 or 5 months old, just getting ready to sit up.
"We put baby on lap, Mama, and baby eat on lap."
And so a highchair to me, I think, was new to Marina.
So approximately 2 or 3 days later I go over there and Lee says to me, "Now, Mother, I want you to understand right here and now—I want you to stop giving all these gifts to me and my wife. I want to give Marina whatever is necessary, the best I can do. I want you to keep your money and take care of yourself, because today or tomorrow you take sick, and you spend all your money on us, I will have to take care of you." Which makes very good sense.
But he strongly put me in my place about buying things for his wife that he himself could not buy.
Mr. Rankin. What did you say to that?
Mrs. Oswald. I agreed with him. And I said—the shock of it—I realize what a mother-in-law I was in interfering. And, of course, that is part that we mothers-in-law do unconsciously. We try to help out our children, and in a way we are interfering in their life. They would rather have their own way of doing things.
And I realize that I had interfered, and the boy wanted to take care of his wife. So no more was said about it.
I go into many homes, being a nurse, and I see this problem also, where the mothers and mothers-in-law bring things, and the men strongly object to it—they would rather do without, and have their wife do without, and they themselves be the master of the home.
So then I realized I was being a foolish mother-in-law, and that he was perfectly right.
I should save my money and take care of myself. He had a wife and baby to take care of. If I didn't have any money, he might have to take care of me. So I agreed with that.
Mr. Rankin. Did Marina say anything about that?
Mrs. Oswald. Well, no, Marina didn't know—unless she understood the English part. I have no way of knowing, you see.
Mr. Rankin. All right. Tell us what happened after that, then.
Mrs. Oswald. Now, let me think just a minute.
This, gentlemen, is very
