Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-15
MY MARRIED LIFE
BY ADELE GARRISON
"Is THIS Mrs. Graham ?"
L yes, Mrs. smiihT'

experience with Mrs Smith knew no re
quest Of hers would have any effect upor
| any plan OF mine.
Pardon me for calling you up 80 early.
| the smooth tones OF Mrs. Smith went on
| hut ! wanted to he sure Of catching yot
| In. My masseuse telephoned me late las
| night that she would be unable 10 give m,
/ my hour today, and / wanted To reach yot
before you made any other engagement
| VIII our original appointment be all right ?.
~ am very sorry" ! used the conven
| tionnl phrase without thinking until [ saw
| Dicty'R wide grin But my husband and
| I are just taking the train for n long daS
In the country and u win be impossible for
me 90 get back In time to meet You"
"oh. dear !" TO my astonishment the
| smooth tones took on a tinge OF lhpatience
II have some unexpected engagements for
| the rest OF the week Wouldn't II be posi-.
! bic for you 10 got back say. or half.aftcrl
Then we could have our appointment today
after all."
was 80 amazed at her effrontery that I
could scarcely gather my wits together Ia
answer her She had broken business
appointment with me for n visit from her
masseuse. The fact that I had inBistcd
upon keeping the appointment before I
heard from her had almost brought on "A
serious quarrel between Dicky and myself.
Now that her masReuse had disappointed
nof btr calmly tNDttttn me TO give up part
Of my day to suit her whlm There was n
patronizng note In her voice which re-
sentcd. II was almost as II she We're speak
ing to a prospective emDloye.
PAYING HER BACK
at viii be absolutely impossible for me
to do aH you request" ! purpOaely made
my tone deliberate and cold. You will
pardon me for hurrying away now ! am
afraid | viii miss my train. | Will call you
up when ! return. GoOd-by
heard a shocked protesting "Good-by
MS I hung up the receiver. Evidently Mrs.
Smith was accustomed to having other
women accommodate themselves to her
whims. felt rapidly growing dialke to
her But overFhadowing everything else
was an unholy JOY at having paid her back
for the unpoasantness she had caused me-
was tho old girl peeved?" Dicky asked
as we walked down the street with the
early crispness Of the morning air filling
our lungs and stimulating our nerves, II
gather her dear mRsseuso or chiropOdist fell
down, and she was trying to ring you In as
second fiddle"
You are eminently correct in your de-
ductions. however puSaling your language"
returned mlschevOusly ~ know it's
wrong, but / am so glad to have had the
chance to get even with her for all the
unpleasantness she caused me"
at gives just the right kind OF fllp to
inc uay enjoyment en- lnbl BOOu
feminine feeling. isn't IT,
"Of course. II man never enjoys getting
back Mt anybody" | returned spiritedly.
A NARROW ESCAPE
Sure. Nothing like winning good
knockdown fight to give man an appetite
You can't start any argument with me on
that question Great morning, isn't t2'
Indeed. II is" | returned. glad OF any
excuse for getting away from the subject
OF Mrs Smith 1T must be splendid In
the country"
Just wait till you get there" DIclty re.
Joined in the manner OF barker describ-
ing the virtues OF a side-show attraction,
We were both rapid walkers and II seem.
ed no time at all until we reached the Inn
posing station of the Pennsylvania Rail.
road
Come on. this way" Dicky grasped my
arm and started across Seventh avenue,
along which street to the taxi entrance n
bewiderlng procession of automobiles was
rushing.
But hung back, pulling on DiclSy's arm
As / did so, an auto horn sounded right
behind us Doky jumped forward, pulling
me with him by main force and the auto
gllded past, missing us only by an inch
or So
did not realize the danger we had been
in until we reached the curb on the corner
Dclty had rushed me across the road with
such tight grip on my arm that the flesh
felt bruised.
'Dlcky" I gasped. please let my arm
GO You are hurting me terribly"
II hope | am hurting YOU" Dicky growl-
ed savagely. Perhaps II hurt you suiii-
cently you will have sense enough next
time to keep from killing both of us"
looked at him In amazement, He was
white to the lips and his eyes were blazing.
Nhut do N 1
A PERFECT DEPENDENCE
What do l mean?" He almost shouted
the words Haven't you grasped tho fact
as you could be and get away with Il?
You hung back there Just as we were start
ing and that machine just missed us as |
Jumped You are always doing IT, Some
day you'll kill both OF us"
He still held my arm. / wrenched It
free,
AT least you can let go my arm" said
iclly.
we can sit down." he returned, I'm as
weak as a cat. When l think how near
that machine came 10 killing you right
before my eyes"'
He stopped short evidently unable to
continue the sentence. My resentment at
his manner vanished. After all, 1t was his
concern for me that had worked him up
"I'm awfully sorry. DlclSy," ! said as we
walked rapidly down the incline leading to
the Long Island station "I'll try not to
hang back another time, But you cannot
know the mortal terror that seiEes me when
anybody takes my arm TO pilot me across
lie street When | am alone l can get
across all right, measure my distances and
everything But the minute l find myself
being guided. all my wits leave me. Didn't
you ever feel that way when somebody was
guiding you2''
Dlclxy stopped and looked at me as II
some new idea was percolating through
lis brain.
II never thought OF that" he said. That's |
probably what ails you You see, being a
nan, never had anybody guide me across |
he street"
Being man you have missed many ex-
,eriencss which would make you under
Itand what woman feels" ] retorted.
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