New Britain herald., 1917-06-15

REVELATIONS OF A WIFE
What Happened When D1caky
 Able to Speak.
By ADELN GARnIsON

What Happened When D4csky was
 Able to Speak.
 I dropped my snow shovel in a panic where I stood just outside the front gate of the old farmhouse at Marvin when I heard the loud pound- ing of Dicky's fists upon the dining room door at the other end of the house.
 The fear of his anger at having to walk from Crest Haven through the blizzard gripped me anew. It had sent mo out Into the swirling snow with the hysterical idea of digging path to meet him. and 1t now prompted me to run anywhere into the drifts away from him.
 Then I pulled myself together, picked up the shovel .and hurried back to the house. scoring myself llercely not only for my lack of con- It was not my fault, told myself, that DicAy had been compelled to walk from Crest Haven. If the tads had not been stalled by the blizzard the one I had ordered would have been ct the station to meet him. kmew that in his foolhardtness he would have preferred his original plan, to walk the shorted distance from Marvin. but even the thought Of his anger did not make me regret that had frustrated that dangerous jour- ney across deserted fields, railroad tracks, beside the lake and brooks. So 1t was with head up and shoul- de9s braoed to meet . torrent of in vectave that I unlocked the dining room door and confronted most pitiablo looking figure
 | D1cky was covered with snow, and could see that the drifts through which he had ploughed had come up above his waist. His arms trembled with \exhaustion, and did not won- der, for he had carried through those drifts. not only the large package of heavy antiques. but a bundle of all the New Fork Sunday papers, might have expected that, for when ever Dicky and came out upon the ! o'clock Sunday. morning train he Invariably carried all the Sunday papers homo with him. Then, on top Of the heap . florists box smote me reproachfully. He had brought me opme flowers through ell the storm! Knowing him as did I wondered that he had not dercely thrown them away when he first faced his long walk.
 A silent D1cky.
 H1s face was dripping with per spira&ion, but did not dare to say anything or to offer to help him in any way. for his flrst look at mo was ono 70 black with anger as to make my fear of one of Dickys scenes over my dread of Dlcky's tantruTns. I SSYa ao1A$ <N veAAH1n hnu awa v4anranf 11ia apasms of temper are. but lind my self shivering at the prospect Of one. as If feared an actual blow from Dicly.
 stepped quietly aside as he en- tered. and he walked past me to the living room. where he sank into a chair before the fire, which I had kept up. The chair was one which I had recently bought, upholstered in English chintz, and I was afraid that the melting snow from Dicky's clothing-for he had not removed a single artioie-would ruin 1t. I opened my mouth involuntarily to protest, then quickly closed it again. It was no time, decided to speak of anything.
 Going into the kitchen I put the coffee upon tho back of the kitchen stove that 1t might keep warm with out boiling away, then went slowly back into the living room and sat down in a chair on the opposite side 1 of tho fire from my husband. He had not yet spoken a word. knew he was almost too exhausted to | speak, for his breath was coming in great labored gasps, and he lay back in the chair like . man spent with running. How I longed to help | @r hSs }no ovaA ax.<<a a~ dry bathrobe. slippers and other necessary clothing I previously had brought downstairs and which were occupying tho chair next to Diclky. But knew better than to open my ! mouth.
 How It Ended
 do not know how long we sat there. Dicky glowering at mo. and I Quaking ct the prospect of his tirade when he should recover his breath. But all ct once the absolute ludicrous- I ness of the situation struck me, and to my horror realized that could not control . smile at the ridiculous picture we made z
 knew that smile would only fan Dcky's wrath, but could not help its appearance. To my great astonish- answering sheepish grin on Dicky's face, Q grin which w1dened and broadened until he finally, gave a shout of laughter.
 ''It's . darned good thing for you couldn't get my breath to speak
 when first came in," he said ak last
 and T realized that Dicky's sense o1
 humor had conquered his temper something which I had seen happen
 more than once before in our life to.