The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-01
Revelations of a
Wife
MADGE MAKES THE BEST OF THE
SITUATION (ConcIuded)

cudgelled my brain in vain for
some airy nothing with which tn ans
wer his nonsense. I never have had
the gift of repartee. l can talk well
enough about subjects that interest
me when I am conversing with some
one whom know well, but the frothy
persiflage, the light banter that forms
the conversations stock in trade OF so
many women, Is an alien tongue to
me.
You are just as welcome as Mrs.
Underwood is" I said heartily at last.
Threw a sop to my conscience with
the realization that l had spoken the
exact truth. He was exactly as well
come, and neither of them was In the
least welcome. Fortunately he did
not read any hidden meaning in my
words.
That's always the way he said
plaintively, dropping my hand as If he
were resignlng himself to some lost
hope. Never am judged by my own
merits or welcomed for my own sake
always Jumped in with my wife. as If
| We're a performing poodle or pet
canary. It's heart-5reakiug, that's
what IL is"
The contrast between the cookbook
ing giant who was speaking and the
tiny objects to which he was likening
himself, together with his drawing,
whining tones upset The gravity Of all
OF us. We laughed heartily. Only
Mr.. Underwood remained grave, look
ing from one to the ether OF us with
the expression Of an undertaken sum-
moning the pallbearers.
Come on, Harry, into my ROOM"
Al. Id, - ~ ho
give got special brand cached in
there. and had to hide 1t so mein frau
wouldn't drink 1t up
| suppose my face reflected the dis
may felt at this inrimation that the
women would begin drinking so early.
| feared for a repetition of the expert
ence Of Friday evening But the laws
Of convention and hospitality bound
me. felt that | could not protest.
Mrs. Underwood apparently had no
such scruples. She clutched Dicky by
The arm and swung him around fac
ing her.
"Now, see here, my Dicky bird" she
began. you begin TINS special bottle
kind Of business and l walk out Of
here. should think you and Harry
would have had enough OF this on
Friday evening. We came over here
today for a little visit, and tonight
well sit on either the water wagon or
the beer wagon. just as Mrs. Graham
says. But you boys won't start any
Of these special drinks, or I'll know
tho reason why"
ooh, cut it out, Lii" her husband
said, not GROSSLY. but mechanically. as
if il were a phrase he often used. But
Dicky laughed down at her although
| knew by the look in his. eyes that
he was much annoyed.
"All right. Lii" he said easily. 81
suppose Madge will fall in gratitude
on your neck for this when she gets
you into the seclusion of her room.
You haven't any objections to our hav
ing a teenty-weenty little smoke, do
you. mamma dear?"
60 as far as you like" she return
ed ignoring the sneers.
As turned and LED the way to my
room. | was conscious of curiously
mingled emotions. Relief az the elm
ination Of the special bottle with its
inevitable consequences and resent
ment that Dicky should so weakly
obey the dictum OF another woman,
battled with each other. But stronger
than either was a ~dawning wonder
From the conversation l had over
heard in the theatre dressing-room
and trifling things in Mrs. Under
woods own conduct ! had been led to
believe that she was scntimentally in
terested in Dicky, and that some time
in the future | might have to battle
with her for his affections. But her
speech to him which | had just heard
sav0red more of the mother laying
down the law to q refractory child
than il did of anything approaching
sentiment. Could it be. told myself,
thc; had been mistaken?