New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-02-20
Why Mother Graham Asked Madge
to Send Cousin Agatha Away and
Care for HcT, Herself.


tered the kitchen. where is Miss
| Agatha?"
I'm her ROOM" Katie answered la
conically. There was a half-sullen
tears on her checks. I suspected that
Cousin Agatha had seized the op-
portunity given by my preoccupation
in caring for William to hector Katie
anew. But I hadn't time to straighten
out matters now
do you think she will be there for
the next five minutes ?" I asked, ig-
noring the trouble signals flaming in
Katie's tear-stained cheeks.
J. Il no tinlI nuttings'' Katie returned
Dot cousin vomans, she do always
shoOSt VOt you no tink she do. She
say she go lie down. | bet she COON
downstairs maybe two minnits''
With a mental hope that Katie's
pessimism might for once be wrong,
l noiselessly shut the door which led
from the room where the telephone
was situated into the hall and took
the received down cautiously and
called Lillian's number in the city
Lillian herself answered the phone.
This is Madge,' 7 said, speaking
quickly and softly. Call me as
qnickly as you can, making some i'm
perative excuse for my coming to you
at once. Important. Goodbye"
"All right returned Lillian
promptly.
hung up the receiver and turned
just in time to see the door open
! cautiously. Cousin Agatha stood on
81
which I had learned to hate and
dread, overspreading her face.
Did She Hear?
Had she heard what I had said? I
was almost sure she hadn't for I
had made my voice almost a whisper,
and the door had been closed be-
tween us. But the possibility troubled
me greatly She could do me meal
Cuable harm if she had heard and
should mention her, knowledge to
| Dicky.
However, there was nothing for me
to do but to feign a casualness which
| was far from feeling.
How is Mother Graham resting? ?"
I asked.
Rather badly" she answered
caustically. "Katie's absence from
! the house when she wanted her
| rather upset her. She wishes to see
| you, but l must caution you not to
! tell her anything about that ridiculous
old Williams accident. Things like
that annoy her and retard her re-
| covery."
Il am not likely to speak Of any
| thing SO upsetting to her." re-
| turned coldly, and went up the stairs
| to Mother Graham's room. Secretly
| / was relieved that Cousin Agatha's
| fine nursing instincts had triumphed
over her malicious desire to make
what trouble she could by retailing
| tho news of Williams accident and
! her suspicious concerning it.
! l found my mother-in-law propped
up on couch looking out at the
! setting sun. She had so far pro
| crossed toward recovery from the
/ accident which had broken her arm
as to warrant the substitution of a
couch or even a chair for the bed
which had kept her prisoner for days
well, Margaret She held out
! her uninjured hand to me. II
haven't seen you since early this
morning"
Her voice held just a hint of re-
proach, but her eyes were kind.
II know 1 stammered remorse-
fully, II have been busy looking over
my wardrobe, and then l took a
| walk with DiclIy-
| you don't need to make excuses,
child" my mother-in-la said, and
there was an unwonted note of kind
ness in her voice. II didn't send for
YOU to catechize you as to your rea
sons for not coming up here, but for
something else"
80
setting sun. I noticed with a little
pang of apprehension that her face
was much thinner than it had been
and that her pallor was in painful
| contrast to the rather high color
which her checks had held before her
accident
waited quietly for her to speak.
for she doesn't like interruptions.
When her eyes rested on my face
again I saw with surprise that there
was q wstfu1 look in them far diff
tcrcnt from the cold, rather naughty
| expression which her eyes usually
held.
II am an old, old woman, Mar
| garet" she said at last, and there
was a note of finality in her voice
| that warned me not to dispute her.
81 have never realized it before until
this accident. And oh. how [ miss
| Harrieti
| I saw with amaZement that there
| were actual tears in my august
mother laws eyes as she spoke the
name Of the daughter who is her
namesake and with whom sho had
| lived for SO many years.
s'You Make 1t Easier"
With a little guilty feeling at my
| heart that T hadn't done all that [
/, could to solace her loneliness I ven
! tured to lay my hand tenderly on
| hers.
| "Of course you miss Mrs. Braith-
| waite" I said She is a wonderful