Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-20
MY MARRIED LIFE
"NOthing at All"
By ADELE GARRISON

TT WAS a relief TO get back to the living
4 room after the episode Of the pudding.
Dlcky ate his pudding with gusto, and 1
choked down some of mine, but Mrs. Gra-
ham sat in stony silencetuntll we had fln-
ished.
Thon DiclSy, seemingly oblivious of tho
part he had played I'm uppettng matters,
led his mother back to the living room.
II shc had been made III by Dlcky's dis
closure that water had dropped from the
ceiling on the pudding she showed no owl
dence of the fact. The food she had eaten
had revived her, and she moved about the
apartment without leaning on Dlcky.
Your apartment is pleasant. If it is
small and without elevator SERVICE" she OBJ
served
l did not answer her The remark had
not been made directly to me- and l loft
tho response to Dicky,
For the incident OF the pudding had been
the last straw. When she had made the
insulting little speech concerning 1t, | had
resolved that henoeforth l would not speak
to Dckys mother unless she directly ad-
dressed me or unless l was compelled to
ask her some questions as to her wants
had tried my best, I told myself to
treat my husbands mother with all kind
ness and respect She had met my efforts
with il-conceaed dislike and positive rude
ness. OF course / knew that she was In
tcnscly preiudlced against me She had
wished Dlcky to marry a girl of her own
choice and she had become SO incenscd by
his marriage TO me that she had refused to
come to the wedding. Seeing her evident
domination over Dicky, l wondered how he
had ever gotten the courage to marry me
against his mothers wishes II he had
been in the same city with her, | told my
self bitterly, she could have saved her son
from me.
And now | faced the prospect of becoming
n nonentlty in my own home Somett 'ng
hot rose in my heart. I would make Il fsht
for my individuality, resolved. something
told me that my best weapon would be ST.
lence and seemingly icy indifference TO
any disparaging comments.
HIS MOTHERS MOVE
must have been thinking very deeply
Dlcky's voice, hurt, displeased, sounded in
my ears.
Are you asleep Madge? My mother is
speaking to you and you do not answer
her."
'I beg your pardon" l turned to her
indfferontly. 81 did not hear you
II merely remarked that you must be
fond Of flowers to have 50 many of them
ct this time of year Are not the prices
almost prohibitve"
"On the contrary, they are remarkably
reasonable for this season. returned. But
! seldom indulge my liking for them These
were bought in your honor"
"Oh! That's very nice of you, I am
sure" The words were almost a snecr I
think D!cky noticed it, for he jumped up
and, coming over to me. sat down on the
arm Of my chair and put his hand caress-
ingly upon my shoulder.
"Madgo has been planning for your
coming for days, mother" he said. "She
has worked like a Trojan"
surely that was quite unnecessary" she
returned, and l saw her look with distaste
at the affectionate tableau we presented
The look stung me into an action which
I have regretted many times since.
pushed Dlcky away from mo with an irri-
tated gesture.
please leave me alone" I whispered.
Dicky jumped up from the chair as If he
had been shot, and went to the window
where he stood moodily looking down at
the street below.
How I longed to run after him and beg
his pardon as 1 would have done for
similar exhibition of temper If we had
been alone. But the presence of his mother
restrained me. I had n sudden swift pre-
montion that many quarrels would be left
unreconciled If this presence in our home
continued.
JUST SEND KATIE"
BY the thin line of her lips / knew that
Dicky's mother had seen and understood
the little by-play She said nothing but
after a moments waiting she rose from
her seat and moved to her sOn'a side Che