New Britain herald., 1916-01-13
Why Madge 'Phoned for a Taxi.

1 ham, how do you do? I do hope this 1 means you are coming over to us right away
 Mrs. Underwood's loud voice boomed l heartily in my ears. Whatever else 1 Lillian Gale may or may not be, she | is always comfortable. She carries
 with her an air of good will and wish l to-be-of-service that is really quite | irresistible.
 Thank you,' replied. 'T shall be | over shortly, I think"
 I hesitated moment. I did not l quite like to ask for Dicky, yet he had ! told me to call him up at Lillian's 1 when I had returned from my dinner l With my cousin, Jack Bickett. I Lillian solved the problem for me. Here is Dicky waiting to talk to l vou," she said. |T'll speak to you again when he is through talking" I trembled violently in the interval between Lillian's leaving the phone, and Dicky's taking up the receiver. When he had left me to go to Lillian's he had been furiously angry because was going to dine with Jack, al- though I had not seen my cousin for a year. What would be his attitude now?
 Hello Madge. Where are you-at home? Do you want me to come for your" The words were friendly enough,
 but at the tone my heart sank.
 knew he had not yet forgiven me for l dining with Jack. But, at least, ne 1
 had recovered his poise sufficiently to l play the game before the UnderWoods. |
 I did not need to dread one of D1ckys
 scenes if I went to their home.
 How absurd, Dicky,' I replied "Or course you are not coming for 1 me- What is that address again, and 1 what is the nearest subway station? ?' Don't be an idiot, Madge, just be- cause you know how retorted Dicky. 1
 Take a taxi over. You'd be wander l ing around subway stations for the 1 rest of the afternoon. The number is l 104 West Eleventh street. Here's l Lii, wants to speak to you again.
 Short Rest.
 The taxicab suggestion annoyed me. It was sd ridiculous. When, after one of our discussions, Dicky had turned 1 over his bank account, and earnings to me, that I might regulate our ex- penses and try to save som ething out Of his large income, I had resolved to be economical as Dicky was ex- travagant. It was just such little leaks as these that counted. but I was in no mood today to deny Dicky any thing. So I resolved to do as he asked.
 ''Oh, Mrs. Graham" Mrs. Under wood was at the telephone again Hurry along over, and we'll wait dinner for you. Harry isn't here either, but I expect him every minute.''
 Please don't do that, Mrs. Under Wood,'' I said. You know have just dined With my cousin. and I couldn't eat mouthful I'll be there in about an hour, in time to have an after-dinner coffee with you"
 "All right then. Be sure that YOU do. Goodbye"
 1 hung up the receiver, conscious
 all at once that my head was be- ginning to ache violently This would 1 never do. I did not want any one to l know that my meeting With Jack had l caused me any emotion. If I went to 1 Lillians with a headache and red ] dened eyes they would surely suspect something. Sonnet when these headaches of mine started one of the little tablets which my physician had given me for them would allay the pain for 1 't tlne. The neaudcne always came l back later unless I went straight to l bed and stayed there at the first suspicion Of an attack. But I must risk that. The thing now was to put tip a good appearance at Lillian Un- | GerWood's.
 ! went to my bedroom, took off my hat and slipped off my gown. Going 10 the bathroom I bathed my eyes, i first in hot water, and then dashed cold water upon them. I took the tablet and wrapping the cover closely around me, I crept into bed. My little clock was where I could see | it, and I had been trained by long nights of vigil with my mother to awaken after any set interval of time. I closed my eyes hoping to get a half hours sleep.
 A Disturbing Reply ! lay for several minutes resolutelv putting out of my mind every thought but that of my desire for sleep. Firally I was rewarded and I awoke in half an hour almost to the minute from the time I lay down. Slipping my feet into a pair of bed
 room mules" for I had taken off my
 shoes when I laid down, and wrapping
 a bathrobe around me I went to the
 telephone.
 Madison Square 947." The num-
 Der I gave was that of the taxicab
 company where Dicky kept an ac- count.
 'Hello!" The voice that came back
 ever the telephone was an unpleasant
 one.
 'Is this the Bronson Taxicab com-
 pany?"
 Yeah. Whatcha want?" 1 resolved to have Dicky report the
 man, his tone was so impertinent, his manner so uncouth, but I tried to an-