New Britain herald., 1916-02-09

earlier, and knew that Katie had cor rectly laid it, and the spring blos- soms in the center seemed to fill the room with Fragrance and beauty.
 knew that the dishes I had planned were a success, and that Katie, delft and efficient, would wait on table properly
 As I bent to slip the hassock be- fore my mother-in-la laws chair l felt almost content.
 And then I saw her stoop to the chair and hold something up, some hing shapeless and crumpled.
 "Whatever in the world is this ?' ,ho asked contem ptuOuSly, holding he object at arms length.
 I knew what it was even before she held it out to me, and my heart ;ank.
 It was Katie's kitchen apron.
 After her early morning work was lone it was Katie's custom to put on ,ver her working dress an immacu- ate white apron. This she covered with q darker one when doing the est of her work. If she were called 10 the door or into the other rooms she removed the kitchen apron.
 But 1t was habit, of which had -ried in vain to break her, to deposit he kitchen apron in all sorts or places I had rescued it from the telephone stand, from the living room nantcl and from any number ot chairs And now it appeared like spectre at my luncheon table!
 1 tried to put the best face possible ,n the matter as l took the apron rom my mother-in-law's hand.
 T am sorry" I said apologetically. It is Katie's kitchen apron. When ou sent for her this morning she vas slightly fustered by the prospect f waiting on a stranger, and hurried ut of the kitchen. I remember now, 'ithout removing her apron, I sup ose she dropped it in the first chair he passed
 It was ta ctless speech. I realized as I saw Mrs. Graham stiffen.
 "I am very sorry" she said icily, that I should have been the cause of o upsetting your maid"
 'Oh, I didn't mean it that wav' cried awkwardly. Katie has done his before. I have tried to break ter of the habit, but have never sue eeded''
 Evidently not" The two words night have been volumes
 Dicky to the Rescue.
 I tapped the bell for Katie, and she anne so quickly With the tray bear ng the tomato bisoue that I knew he must have been listening. Her ace was flushed, and as she caught ny eye she gave me an angry glance
 realized that she had heard my 'ords about trying to break her of Ome habit without understanding hat I meant.
 At least I had the power to reduce Katie to reason, however. When she ad served the bisque and was nov ng toward the door, I said quietly:
 Katie, take this with you. Dlease.'
 She took one look at the apron which I held out to her, then it and fled from the room.
 Guess thatH hold Katie for awhile,' Dicky chuckled
 There are the possibilities for the development of a very good maid out of that girl if she be only properly trained" commented his mother
 I bit my lips at the insult, for I could consider it nothing less which my husbands mother had flung me at my own table.
 Gee! I'm hungry.' Dicky flung himself manfully into the breach "This tomato thing bob is just al right. Madge. May I have another 
 surely" I said, 'but there's 3 steak on the way Won't you spoi your appetite for it?''
 ."Of course. Didn't know you had a steak That's a bully idea o yours. Madge. having dinner at thi, time today instead of tonight
 T am glad you like it. I said quietly.
 Actually, I was afraid to give my real reason for the early dinner. had thought that DickN's mother might be hungry from her long ride out I did not dare say so, for fear i might offend her in some mNSteriou way Out of the corner of my eye could see that she was eating tho bisque with evident relish.
 Will you have more of tn hisque?' I asked as she finished.
 "Oh, no, thank you,' she returned still with the icy dignity which ha( been hers since ] made the unfor tunate remark about Katie's nervous ness over serving her.
 touched the bell again and Kati appeared removed the dishes. an' disappeared again. Her eyes lOOke' as if she had been crying. I kney that inc iDci1eDt of tbo apron mus have deeply humiliated her, but I dit rot feel very sorry for her. I hal been humiliated, too, by her careless ness.
 When she came in again bearin| the steak and placed it before Dicky' IIace, where the carving knife an. fork were already placed, my hus band gave low whistle
 This is about the niftiest steak ever saw" he said. "Madge, yo