New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-08-01
Why Lillian Said 'Life Is Too Full OF
Real Tragedies to Bother
About Pin PrickS.'

I
Alis at ALL
Mrs Durkee's clear childish treble
broke the silence that followed my
recital at Robert Savarlns behest o.
tho ..rea1 story Of our sojourn in
the Catskill mountains, with its rev.
elation of the identity of Mrs. Allis,
who, if our conjectures were correct
had fired a bullet at me through the
hall door but few minutes before.
We ali turned and looked at hef
in amazement. But she was IN no
wise abashed, she only blushed anu
dimpled as she elaborated her the
Dry.
DO you know what 1 think ~ she
began. Il think some woman was
quarrelling with her sweetheart, ana
they wandered up here because it IS
lonely, and then one fired at the other
and it came through the door
She looked around as she finished
with such a pretty naive air Of cock
sureness that we all shouted with
laughter. The men had come back
from their search of the grounds,
with the report that no one was IN
sight for rods around. and think
we were all glad of the relief from
tension that little Mrs. Durkee's ex-
PLANTATION gave us.
had heard her theories OF things
expounded before. Whenever any
experience of life is related in her
presence she generally propounds
some perfectly absurd explanation
and sticks to her theory with pretty
persistence. I never have been able
to determine whether she is deep
enough to realize the absurdity Of her
remarks and to make them purpose
ly in order to raise a laugh, Or wheth-
er she really is as naively foolish as
she sometimes appears.
Whatever the solution, she didn'l
display any particular resentment at
our laughter. In fact she laughed
merrily with us.
you'll see!" she said pouting
prettily and pointing a dainty fore
finger at Dicky "You laugh at me
now, but you'll find out that I'm
right"
She turned to Lillian, and there was
a little CLEAN in her eye that warned
me to look out for the little stiletto
thrust, which the women of Mrs. Dur
KEGS dainty, child like, wholly fem
ir!ne type know so we'll how to give
But where is your little daughter
all this time?" she asked sweetly
Aren't you afraid to leave her all
alone upstairs?'
If Lillian WINGED under the implied
taunt that she had left her place at
her child's bedside to rush down and
manage" things, she did not betray
it.
"Oh, lightning never strikes twice
in the same place." she said with p
carelessness I knew was assum ed.
Besides, she isn't alone. I sert
Katie to her as soon as I came down,
and as Marion is sound asleep 1 am
sure she won't miss me-
Chances That Meet.
If I had needed any assurance as
10 the character of Robert Savarins
feelings toward Lillian 1 would have
received full confirmation of it dur
ng this little dialogue between the
;wo women. He had laughed as
heartily as any of US at Mrs. Dur&ee's
nonsense, and I had seen him smile
with genuine masculine admiration
1T the attractive picture the little
woman made with her pointing fore
niger and her pretty pouting
But at her question concerning
Iarion, I saw him start quickly, and
ook at her with close inquiring
crutiny which changed to cold re-
eminent as the fact that she meant
he question to annoy Lillian struck
lis quick perceptions. Then his
glance sought Lillian's anxiously, and
saw him smile to himself with an
ldmiring, triumphant tenderness at
he apparent nonchalance of her re-
)ly. I knew he was keen enough to
lip beneath the surface of her words
md to see the passionate love and
ender care for her little daughter
which lay there, together with the
forgiving tolerance
IF Lillian's attitude toward Mrs.
Durkee.
L had a further glimpse of this
attitude of Lillian's later in the eve
ming when the Durkees had. gone
and Dicky had shown Mr.. Savarin to
his room. With a screen placed in
front of Marion's bed so that even
the turned down light would not dis
Lurb her, Lillian and I reviewed the
evening in low tones while we
brushed our hair
What do you suppose was the mat
ter with Mrs. Durkee tonight? ?" I
1ueried, Il never knew her to be cat
ty before"
An Infinite WEAKNESS.
&c Catty's isn't the word, Madge,"
Lillian said smiling. :" Kitteny
would suit the purpose better. There
Isn't bit of real malice in Mrs.
Durkee. She's naturally the kindest-
hear little woman in the world
but she's simply a kitten who never
has grown up. She uses her claws
for the sheer fun of
them and is really ignorant
Of the fact that they can actually
hurt Then tonight she had a real
grievance from her standpoint. She
halnn To no claSS Of