New Britain herald., 1915-12-27
Why Madge Refused Lillian Gales
 Invitation.

Lillian Gales raucOuS VOlce came to my ears as I rang the bell of my little apartment. It stopped sud- denly at the sound of the bell. Katie answered my ring, and then fled pre- cpitately to the kitchen with a frightened glance at Mrs. Underwood. Lillian laughed boisterously as she advanced to meet me.
 Please don't be angry at my in trusion,' she. said with the frank good-nature which always makes me feel drawn toward her in spite of my very real disapproval of her and her ways. 1T have taken possession of your house and crushed an incipient rebellion on the part of your maid, will you forgive me?'
 eff you have been able to do any thing with Katie. I not only forgive you but thank you most warmly" I returned lightly, although I secretly resented what seemed her interfer- ence in my affairs. "She has gotten some twisted notion into her head-'
 About old women being witches?"
 "She told you then ?"
 How Lil "Settled" Katie.
 About Dicky-Bird's mother coming into the nest? Oh yes, she poured out her whole soul to me- Lillian laughed. "You see, when Dicky and the rest of the bunch had that apartment several years ago they advertised for general house. worker. Katie answered the adver- tjsement Green! You never saw anything so verdant in your life. If I hadn't taken pity on both the boys and her I don't know what would lave become of any of them. She didn't know enough to boil water. I used to straighten things out for her and teach her a few things, and she was grateful and everla stingly afraid of me. I think the gratitude has rather worn off, but she's still afraid cf me-"
 "She told me she was going to leave when the older Mrs Graham arrived" I said.
 "But she won't do it." Lillian said complacently. that is unless you want her to. I settled that, I fancy "Whatever did you say to her '' 'Oh, just generally frightened her!" she replied carelessly. I think I put on the finishing touch by telling her that if she said anything more about old women turning into witches and killing young people in their sleep I would turn her over to the police and have her locked up as an insane per son."
 Where do you suppose she ever got such a notion?'
 Lillian shrugged her shoulders. "When you're as old as l am, my dear child, you'll cease to wonder at anything one of these foreign chil- ] dren does or says. Don't you know r~toir Of V,1r0 a they believe just as firmly in black art and magic and witchcraft as people did hundreds of years ago? l They usually get it. out of their sys- l tems after they have been over here a 1 few years, but it takes time" l We had dropped into chairs as we l talked. Lillian had rattled on so rapidly. as was her usual custom. that | T had been unable to offer her the usual courtesies.
 1 Do take off your wraps,' l said at the first opportunity. Gan you not l stay to dinner with us? Dicky will be here shortly"
 l "It can't be done," she returned. Harry and I have an engagement to l dine out tonight. Beastly bore, too, sort of business obligation of Harry's But I must hurry home and dress. I just dropped in to as you"
 The opening of the door inter- rupted her. Dicky came in breezily.
 Hello, r.i1! Haven't seen you since Sunday night. Where have you beer keeping yourself?"
 He held out cordial hand to her, then turned to me and kissed me.
 Well, professor" he said, "I sup pose you're in the plutocrat class now?''
 Mrs Underwood looked puzzled. ! hastened to explain.
 "Dicky is talking nonsense, a.
 usual" smiled at him. Perhaps yo,
 remember I had an offer from thu
 Lotus Study club to conduct a histor. class. I met the secretary this after
 noon and arranged terms.'
 How delightful!'' Lillian exclaime ed
 "What did you hold the old girl Ill
 for?" Dicky asked. I thought I de
 tected a sheer in his voice. I knev
 he hated the idea of my doing any
 thing to earn any money of my owr Roth his words and tone jared upo , me. I resented also his dragging ou , the details before Lillian Gale. :. twenty dollars lecture,'' I re 1 piled shortly.
 ) I thought of the weekly incom s which Lillian Gale drew for her ad vertising drawings and jingles. r made my twenty dollars, which tw s hours ago had appeared so large, loo S very small indeed. But Lillian wa ], magnanimous.
 l Dicky Makes an Offer.
 That's not bad at all,' she sait .'Of course, if it were a large club yo
 could command much more, but it's nice little sum for an afternoon > talk
 :, "It's ridiculous." Dicky grumblet
 1T know Madge. She'll not only hay