New Britain herald., 1917-07-10
Can It Be That Dicky Actually Doesn't
 Like Children?

The tears rushed to my eyes as Katie tremulously whispered her great secret to me, the tidings that after while dere coom little baby to Jim and me-" The girls face was radiant with joy, Madonna-lil<e in it's brood ing softnesS The traces of her hysterical s0bbing were almost ob- liberated. It was as if her joy and pride had met and Vanquished the terror which had been here at what she had fancied would be my recep- tion of her news.
 To think that ] had been the cause of her sorrow! That the moments of her life which should have held her holest happiness had been marred by her terror of Dicky and me! I held her closely and kissed her forehead tenderly.
 "Oh, Katie, dear, I am so glad!' I said happily. Its wonderful news. indeed. Oh. how I wish you had told .me long before. I would have tried to make it easier for you. Now you are not to worry one bit. Of course you will stay right here. How foolish of you to imagine anything else Whenever you need it will hire some one to help you with the heavier work. and if you will let me. l should like to help you sew for the little stranger who Is coming to you"
 Katie lifted her eyes to mine, and there was in them a solemn look that startled me. it was so out of keeping with Katie's general irrational nature
 You awful goot vomans, Missis Graham" she said slowly. and could lay down, die for you any day. But you not whole familee. Don t say stay here till you talk first Meester Graham and old VOmans ven she comes home. Den you tell me stay. and I joomp oop and down l so glad.
 'You Need Not Worry.''
 A little chill foreboding clutched my heart at the girls words. True enough, I had thought only of my own sentiments in the matter, taking no thought as to Dicky's wishes. realized that while in his careless. good-natured way he was fond or children the continued presence of a child near him annoyed him intensely.
 This attitude of Dicky's had always been like a skeleton in the closet of my most secret hopes. I did not like to think of this prejudice of his, it was too much like a gravc cloth me. And now, by my championship of Katie l must face and try to change his ideas.
 Of one think I was sure. I voiced my conviction to Katie clearly.
 You may be sure of one thing, Katie" l said "You need not worry about what the elder Mrs. Graham thinks about it. She will probably be at first, but you know how good at heart she really is. and before long you will find her doing all sorts of things for you."
 Katie made an unconscious grlmace her opinion of my mother in laws probable attitude, but I pre- tended not to notice it.
 What MT. Graham will say Katie I went on 1T don't know, but I will do my best to persuade him that he ! will not be inconvenienced by the l change in your life. And l am sure that you and I can so arrange it. Now go to bed and don't worry any longer"
 Is This Really Dicky.
 Katie seized my hand and kissed it. I felt the hot tears minglihg with the ] caress.
 "Oh, Missis Graham,' she mur- 1! mured You so goot. If l ever bad l to you again 1 nope you 'dhe ple l SteeCk to me-.
 katie's old, irrepressible chuckle l came at the end of her words, telling 1 me better than anything else could 1 have done that the volatile nature of l the girl was responding to the hope l had given her that she might be al- lowed to stay with me. 1 felt my l heart swell with the resolve that 1 Dicky should not thWart this desire of I my faithful little maid.
 But Dickys greeting did not make ] it easy for me to tell him.
 "What's up . he demanded as I came slowly back into the living room. You look as if they'd just sent for l you to settle the war so as to satisfy l everybody I'll bet a cookie it's 1 something about Katie. That girls been getting on my nerves lately. al- l ways mOpinp around She's about outlived her usefulness anyway. never 1 knew a servant yet who ought not to 1 be fired regularly once in six months. l Why don't you let her out and get 1 that can smile occasion ally?"
 I knew that Dicky did not mean 1 half he said, but I dreaded telling him l Katie's news. However, there was no l