Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-30
onEaAnps no YoUR WIFE"

'It II ia perfectly convenient for you
should like to start next Monday arriving
the next day Tuesday, VIII you write
mo Mt once whether or not that will be all
right for your
You cannot know, my darling boy, how
anxious l am to see you again You arc
my only son. you know. ] have thought
sometimes the last year that | might nevor
live 10 see your face once moro but now
It looks as II l might spend my last days
with you.
please do not neglect TO write mo at
once. telling me what road and train will
be best for me.
give my best regards to your wife, and
remember, dear boy. your mother loves
you just tho same now as she did when
you were n little lad at her knee. Lovingly
your mother, HARRIET GRAHAM"
I, too. read tho letter twice before maxi
Ing any comment upon IT, l wondered II
Dlcky's second reading had been for tho
same purpose a8 mlne--to gain time to
think.
was stunned by tho letter. had never
contemplated tho possibility OF Dclty's
mother living with U.S. For years she had
made her homo with her chidless daughter
and nnmesnke, Harriet, whose husband was
one of the most brilliant surgeons of the
Middle West.
I knew that Dlckv's mother and sisters
had spoiled him terribly when they all had
a home together before DiCltys father died.
Tho first thought that came to me was that
Dlclky's whims alone were hard enough to
humor, but when had both him and his
mother to consider our homo life would
hardly be worth the living.
/ knew and resented also the fact that
DiclSys mother and sisters disapproved of
his marriage to me. In one Of Dlcky's care
less condolences 1 had CLEANED that his
mothers choice for him had been made
long ago and that he had disappointed her
by not marrying friend of his sister.
Fn1t z | Ia To
to live and treat with daughterly Difference
Il woman whom | knew SO 'dlsliked me
that she refused to attend her sons we'd
ding was unthinkable.
on the other hand I knew that there
was no other way out of II. / could no
more refuse to receive DicIsys mother than
/ could have deserted my own.
PHRASES TO MASK FEELING
OF course / could not say so to Dlclty,
but secretly l thought her letter I'm bad
taste She might have considered my feel
ings enough to ask II she would be well
come instead of so calmly taking for grant
ed that my home would be hers for the
rest OF her life. / said this to myself then
flushed with shame to think l had been so
ungenorous even in thought to my hus.
bands mother
But tho cutting little remark II have
always said that there was not room In the
same house for n daughter-in-law and n
ranlSled even after / had
myself to speak calmly to Dicky
the letter
had no doubt which of us would be
forced out of the house II there ever came
Il clash between us l never could come
between Dicky and his mother. / would
not do 1t even II / could,
Mechanically / folded the letter, trying to
frame phrases which would mask my real
For the first time In my life /
was confronted with the necessity OF utter
Ing a deliberate falsehood.
/ did not want Dicky's mother TO live
with us.
But my sense of justice and of decency
told me that | must make my husband be-
ieve that / did.
(Copyrlght.)
CONTINUED MONDAY