Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-17
MY MARRIED LIFE
What Dtcku TOLd Madae Thnt Sundnu Morninl
BY ADELE GARRISON
aII1HAT are you Eoins TO DO. Madse7

.,rr,TtAT are you going TO do Madge7
wv yvby the uniformT' Diclty looked
,..i,v M from the Suday newspapers, which
r.,e strewn around the couch in the living
,,or, where he lay stretched At ease. II
80 sunday morning. Dcky's lazy time"
=, ,bs week. The Sunday morning before
sh,s / had sat near him in the big chair.
sI.o reading. and we had promised our
s.i,s.a that this would he our weekly cus-
-, neither OF us having much inclna-
tlcn for church.
,,,, this morning, with the expectation Of
.,,s.ts in the evening, / knew that there
80 work waiting for me. so as soon az
rickv was thoroughly absorbed In his pa
80 I had slipped into my room and put
IN one OF my kitchen aprons. a sense Of
vnfamillarity came to me as ! buttoned ",
80 had not worn Il since Katie had taken
sS. beIm OF the kitchen. I had hoped that
f,,oky would not notice my absence, but he
ssv me and called to me as / passec
through the living room on my way to the
Kitchen.
81 must prepare those salted almonds
a. tonight Dlcky," replied
,r,other the saited almonds told you
% get those that were all ready. Can't
katie do themT
,rKatie has all she can do" | explained
patIently. "shc had the dinner 20 prepare,
ana then this afternoon she will polish up
the furniture n Bit"
~
"Dont tell mo, Madge, that you're one
NJ the women who start TO cleaning house
avery time they expect guests he began.
~ used to vow that never. never would
marry one of that stripe. 1t takes all
the comfort of having anybody come to the
house TO have everything 80 stlff."
I wanted to remind Dicky of his dla.
tribe OF few days before, when he had
hurt me lmmeasurably by his criticism of
the dIsordered living room. But had
learned that inconsistency OF speech was
one OF Dickys chief characteristics. Tho
opinion he expressed one day he was
ukely TO contradict the next, so l sklrted
the topic carefully.
TETE-A-TETE
''wo're not going to clean house, Dlclky
nothing that will disturb you bit. But
must prepare the almonds myself. II
is n tedious job, and l want the time after
dinner free for the sandwiches and the
table. Youll run out this morning and get
me few flowers. won't your"
sure" agreed Dickey, but there's no
hurry. Is there?"
"None at ALL" assured him.
'All right then. I'll go after a while"
He resumed his reading and went to tho
kitchen.
''Please get me the nut-cracker and the
almonds you brought home las; night" I
told Katie. II will crack them here on
the end Of the kitchen table. BE sure that
you have plenty OF boiling water in the
teakettle by the time finish them"
'All right, Mlssis Graham I feex." Katie
was bustling around the kitchen getting the
breakfast dishes out OF tho way with more
than even her usual rapidity OF movement
sat down at the table and began cracking
the nuts. 1t was slow job, and l had
finished only about fourth OF them when
plcky appeared a. tho door.
i've come to help he announced. but
saw katie's look OF dsmay Mt the tiny
kitchen where she must get dinner.
Go back to your reading" l commanded
gayly II don't need you. Besides there
isn't room for three OF us here. Katie
hasn't room 10 turn around as II is."
That's easily remedled," Dicky caught
up the dish of nut meats, the bag OF un-
cracked nuts and the paper strewn with
shells where | was working and carried
them into the living room, trailing along
behind him mutterinE futile protests. As
be reached the table the paper slipped from
his grasp and the shells flew In every d.
rsction
''Dicky! gasped. why on earth did
you bring all this stun In here? Katie
cleaned this room thoroughly yesterday. and
with the exception of little Strengthening
and polishing Of some OF the furniture 1t
was all ready for tonight Now II will have
70 be swept again, and that will mean the
busting and polishing done all over again"
you don't suppose I meant to drop the
and his voice held a hint of anger that I
promptly needed. AT ell costs / wanted to
avoid any unpleasantness before the coming
Of our guests, The evening promised to bo
enough of Il trial 10 me without having my
nerves disturbed by any disagreement be-
forehand.
"of course not, Dicky," soothed, "and
~ long as the mischief is done we might
rs we'll finish them here. I'll get another
nut cracker and the folding sewing table
from my room"
you get the nut cracker and I'll produce
the table," said Dlcky Brandly, and In
few minutes We were seated opposite each
other amicably cracking the nuts. while
Dicly talked OF everything and nothing. and
! half listened to what he was saying, and
half wondered what the evening might bring
me in the way OF experiences
To me. whose existence had been the
fnonotonous one Of a schoolteacher. life with
Dicky was like revolving with kaledo-
scope; every day seemed to bring something
unexpected to me.