South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-19
WHAT DICkN SAID WHEN HE
DISCOVERED THAT GRACE
DRAPER HAD UNEXPBCT-
EDLY RETURNED.

day for = tramp, Suppose We go
down 70 the hsrbor and either walk
or row around the slips III put
some fish lines in my pocket 30 II
YOU get a mad desire 10 hang over
the side Of the boat YOU may. We
can get corking dsh dinner a.
Shafer's that little dump near the
oyster houses. II We stop on our
wa and tell them We want IT, what
do YOU ssy2'
"a should like 1t very much. -" 4 re-
Piled irving hard 20 make my
voice enthusiastic But do YOU
| think We ought 10 leave your
| Imother alone so often We haven't
| taken her withs as for several
trips
| Dicky looked AT me shrewdly
| Why the sudden solicitude for
| mother" ne asked ironically. Then.
| as hs saw my face flush ne added
| hastily. Don't be offended. sweet
| heart. ] realize that YOU are always
! |thoughtful OF her. but IL struck me
/ that YOU were not particularly keen
for this trip Yourself. and mother
! made good excuse"
/ Please don't be absurd Dicky.
1T retorted lightly "Of course
want TO go. How soon do YOU want
10 start?'
ANY time you're ready.
"Tu be down in 10 minutes.
| promised.
/ Ir took me less than that 10 SET
into the simple tramping costume
had. a light-We eight short skirt a
\ silk sports waist. and strong walk
ing shoes with common sense heels
In picked up the silk sweater which
III Invariably took on these trips OF
ours and went slowly down stairs.
could not understand my own
reluctance TO go with DiclSy. But
@ the zest with which J had enjoyed
the earlier outings or the summer
Y seemed 10 have left me As 7 looked
r back. ] could see that the incident
of the stolen puppy which Dicky
z had brought me had marked the
end Of the care-free happy days
which had been mine since Grace
Draper had taken her departure
One OF the most rigid tenets Of
o my life is my hatred Of anything
savoring Of dishonesty. The earli-
o est remembrance have OF IN,
- mother is the memory Of her face
when she found out that 7 had
picked a blackberry from a neigh
p bors bush. 7 can see her now as
a she took me by the hand and lee
me over 10 the owner OF the bush
o a dear old woman, who smiled
s down reassuringly al me
q Why. Mrs Spencer the child car
have all the berries she wishes" she
4 cried
f. My mother put up her hand NO
Mrs. Hillman, don't say that" sh'
n said solernly When YOU call hei
a land give them TO her. YES. but sh'
has stolen this berry and she wishe.
TO tell YOU she is sorry
The humiliation OF that momen
is fresh in my memory. and I shall
never forget my mothers tear-we
face afterward as she explained be
n fore an absurdlv mild slipperinl
II how sorry she was 10 have 10 pun
II ish me. how terrible crime thief
II was
According 10 the child TRAINING
J ideas OF these days I suppose he
discipline was unnecessarily severe
y but do not think from that day
: 10 this I have ever taken anythint
that was not my own. And wher
see children breaking off flow
% ers which they have not been giveT
70 permission 10 pick. and botherinl
/ tradesmen by abstracting fruit and
crackers and anything they SEE
loose. wish their mothers had
? been as strict as mine
But the incident OF the stoler
puppy has proved 10 me that tn,
% rigidity Of my training has made
j it most difficult for me 70 live II
r. harmony with Dicky's ideas. II is 2
huge joke TO him that the pedigree
OF the thoroughbred puppy hi
2. brought me cannot he proved be
cause his mother was stolen. Tt
k me. every fresh look ar the puppy
r brings a wave Of humiliation tha
my husband has no more delicate
h. sense of moral values than he ap
e pears to possess.
Because 7 feared TO evoke one o.
e the scenes which made the frs
months Of my married life so mis-
T. cradle Z kept my lips closed abou
- the puppy since my first expression
= OF establishment at his being stolen
1 |I am wondering II 7 can always e
ON like this. sitting my conscienc,
for the sake OF peace.
"Do YOU know you're gettinl
r prettier every day. Nadge ." Thi
BE- was Dicky's greeting as 7 joined hin
q outside the 3oor
heard thinIy disguised snor
OF contempt from my mother-in
y law who sat luxuriously ensconcet
I'M q big willow chair behind IN,
"a honeysuckle vines on the verands
J. knew the compliment from
DickyS lips annoyed ner. 10 is no
that she dislikes me but thar sh
|, has an aversion 20 what che cali
soft soapius o. any kind
= swept him a courtesy as / passe,
- him Thank YOU. kind ST. ] sal
gaylv no was not possible for M
90 ignore the little tribute even {
Were resentful toward Dicl<y. es
| pecialy with his mother lookin
on
uicky caught my hand as w
went through the arching vine