New Britain herald., 1916-02-04
Veus fOr 7heater G0ers and Women Readers
REVELATIONSOF WIFE
By ADELE GARRISON

How Madge and Dicky,s Mother Met. ! 4 "Madge! What under the heavens | is the matter?"
 Dicky sprang out of the taxicab, 1 which had drawn up before the door ] of the drug store, and seized my arm. Has anything happened?' he de- 1 manded excitedly. You are rushing l tears, and you are down here instead l of at home. Why if I had not hap ] pened to spy you we would have gone on home. That would have been a ] fine welcome for my mother, wouldn't | it? Nobody there to greet her but Katie.''
 T reflected grin1ly that if ever there was time in my life for telling only rart of the truth that time had come. Nothing is the matter,' I said shortly 1T went out to get some ! cream for Katie's pudding, and some l flowers. I stopped here in the drug store to get some of my headache tablets, and left the flowers and cream. I did not find it out until I reached the apartment, so I dashed back after them. Some dust blew in my eyes. I suppose that's what makes you think I have been crying"
 'That's you, all over,' Dicky grumbled. Risk not being at home to greet mother, in order to have a few flowers stuck around. Here, come on and meet mother, and I'll go in and get your flowers He took my arm and made a step toward the taxicab.
 NO, no,'' I said hastily. 'T know
 
 be a minute.'' I broke away and hurried into the drug store. was almost in a panic. If Dicky had gone in to inquire about the flowers he would have been almost certain to have found out that I had telephoned, not bought headache tablets.
 Luckily the flowers and cream were where I had left them. I detest the idea of arranging any part of ones 1cilet in public, but I did not want the critical eyes of Dicky's mother to see my reddened eyes, and roughened hair, which had been slightly loosened in my hurry.
 There was a mirror near the tele- phone booth at the back of the store. l took off my fur cap, smoothed back my hair and put on the cap again. From my purse I took a. tiny powder puff and removed the traces of tears. Then l fairly snatched my parcels and hurried to the door, Dicky was just entering the store as T reached it. His face was black. I saw that he was in one of his rages.
 "Madge, My Mother"
 Look here, Madge," he said and he made no pretense of lowering his voice, "do you think my mother en- Joys sitting there in that taXicab waiting for you? She was so fatigued by her journey that she didn't even want to have, her baggage looked after something unusual for her. That is the reason we got here so early. And now she is positively faint for a cup of tea, and you are fiddling around here over lot of flowers.
 If he had made no reference to his mothers faintness, I should have an swered him spirited1y. But I remem- bered my own little mother, and her longing when fatigued for a cup of hot tea.
 Il am awfully sorry, .Dcky," I said 11eekly. You see you arrived be- fore I thought you would. I'll get the tea for her the moment we reach the house,
 But Dicky was not mollfied He stalked moodily ahead of me until he reached the open door of the taxi cab. Then his manner underwent a { sudden change. One would have l thought him the most devoted of 1 husbands to see him draw . me for 1 ward. ,t | "M other" he said, and my heart ] glowed even in it's resentment at the l note of pride in his voice, this is my l wife. Madge, my mother" Mrs. Graham was leaning back 1 against the cushions of the taxicab l If she had not looked so white and 1 i'll I should have resented the look 1 Of dispIeasure that rested upon her 1 features.
 How do you do?' she said coldly.
 You must pardon me, I am afraid, 1 for not saying the usual things. I 1 have been very much upset" l The studied inso1ence of the apology was infinitely worse than the coldness of her manner. I waited for
 moment to control myself before : answering her.
 'I am afraid that you are really ill., I said as cordially as I could. "I | am so sorry for having kept you
 waiting, but I did not expect you | quite so soon, and l had some | errands."
 "It doesn't matter" she said in differently. Her manner put me 1 aside from her consideration as if had been a child or a servant. She | turned to Dicky. Are we almost | there, dear?" t The warmth of her tones to him
 the love displayed in every infection set out in more bitter contrast the | coldness with which she was treating
 me.