The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-07-25
REVELATIONS
or WIRE
How Madge Knew That Alfred Durkee
Understood.
6V Aefe GorriSoN

1--WE, 4; VIVA, DO you think Of
w Dicky's tone was a bit du-
bious as we finished our INSPECTION tour
OF the grounds surrounding the house
which Alfred Durkee wished US to buy,
and stopped on the bank OF the pond
Iat lies at the rear of the garden.
Tell him YOU adore IT, Mrs. Ora
ham" begged Alfred Durkce boyishly
u can guess by his tone that he needs a
little Coaxing."
! Across Dicky'S forehead fitted a tiny
] irown, gone as soon as it came, but |
knew what it meant. He very much dis
likes TO he 'coaxcd' to do anything
against his will, but he has rarely been
subjected to the process by me. | saw
that 1t would take careful management
to make him come definitely to the point
OF buying the property.
Secretly ! was delighted with the
place. 1t had been the home OF a pros
porous business man who had died a
few years before, and it had since been
rented as a summcr furnished country
cottage" by his widow, who could not
afford to live in it after her husbands
death. The result OF such tenancy
was only too apparent in the piles OF
rubbish and the tangles OF weeds in the
garden. Even the little lake and the
brook leading to it were choked with
rubbish, while all over their surfaces
floated empty tin cans and bottles.
But closing my eyes to the devastation
which the tenants had wrought | could
see endless possibilities in the place, |
said so quietly, watching carefully TO see
the effect OF my observation upon
Dicky,
ooh, possibilities" he snorted. "Im
sick Of the very sound OF that word. OF
course there are possibilities IN the most
hideous places If you spend money and
time enough ON them But {. strikes me
that this is a mighty discouraglng pros.
pect"
Don't Decide so Quickly"
III YOU had waited until ! had fin
iShed instead OF Snatching the words
out OF my mouth" | returned s%auclly,
you would have learned that agree
with YOU. The place certainly has pos
sibilitleS, but 1t is too II down to make
1t worth while to bother with it,
| tried to make my tone as final, as
rigidly decided, as | could. For in a
flash had come to me the way &c man
age" Dicky about the house. He waS in
one OF his provoking obstinate moods,
and ! had learned by sad experience that
when he had a contrary fit OF" as my
little mother used to say, he appeared
to take especial pleasure in thwarting
any expressed wish of mine.
Perhaps # ! expressed dlsapproval Of
the house IN such a that Dicky
would not suspect the ruse he might re
verse his own opinion and decide to buy
it. waited with inward trepidation
for Dicky'S reply to my first objection.
But it was Alfred Durkec who an
swcrcd instead Dlcky only glanced at
me sharply.
please, Mrs Graham, don't decide so
quickly" young Durkee pleaded i've
lust got Dicky where he was ready TO
consider the place, and don't mind his
barks of Encouragement, for he never
means half he says. But | know what
you say goes around the Graham ranch.
and do hope you didn't mean what YOU
said
| could have clapped my hands in glec
at Alfred purkec'S unconscious taking
NJ my cue. Ii he had been coached h,
could have said nothing more calcu.
lated to stir up Dicky'S obstinacy
against me. AS | answered him | pur.
posely made my voice as firmly diSap.
proving as possible.
Il am so sorry, Mr.. Durkee," | said
but don't see how | could poSSibl,
manage to live here with so much TO b,
done. Besides, that water looks dis
tinetly unhealthy to me"
An Unmistakable Wink.
Unhealthy" Dicky snorted. "Thet,
o go again, Madge, with those foo
sanitation ideas of yours. She's per
iectly daify on the subject, folks h,
explained half laughingly, rides III,
hobby at every opportunity But !,
like to know how you figure that thi
lake is unhealty Don't YOU know It /
fed by springs, and that similar lake
and brooks all over Long Island iorme
Btooklyn's water supply before the neN
Ashokan dam was opened''
W That may all be- ! returned, and