South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-08
WHAT DICKY'S MOTHER SAID
AROI-T Mr. GORDON

whose admiration for me. as express
ed 20 her, she so strongly resented.
Dicky spoke, coldly, judiciously:
rs that all YOU have % say,
MOTHER" he asked.
She looked at him in amazement.
Are you lost 70 all decency that
YOU do not resent such extravagant
praise and admiration Of your wife
from the lips Of another man. she
demanded. and then in the same
breath went on rapidly
But that is not all What crazy
idea the man has in his head I do
not know. but he talked largely of
millions, with no one 20 leave them
TO. OF Margaret's being the only
link between him and the friends he
loved so dearly In his youth. and OF
his desire TO see her take the place
in the world to which she is en-
titled. Whether he means TO turn
over some Of his millions to her now.
or will them 10 her at his death l
do not know"
"Of course. that is utter nonsense"
said Dicky frowning You must
have misunderstood him. mother"
L did nothing OF the kind" re-
torted my mOther-in-law. And
certainly did not misunderstood him
when he wanted TO know the date
OF your return, and Margaret's fav-
Orite flowers, and all that rot, so he
could get one Of the private rooms
Of the Sydenham, have It decorated
with her favorite flowers and col
Ors, and give a supper party there
TO welcome her home"
What" Dicky exclaimed and al
though I did not speak, was equal
~ astonished at the vagaries of this
mysterious man.
Dicky Not Wholly Displeased.
I thought that would astonish
YOU. Richard" my mother-in-law
returned. with "A grim. triumphant
smile. You know now why I left
the Sydenham without waiting for
your return. ] could not stand the
mans wild talk any longer. ] felt
that it was an insult to you to re-
main where I could see him."
As she closed with a virtuous
sniff eloquent of "a painful duty well
performed Dicky threw back his
head laughed loudly. Both his
mother and 7 gazed open-mouthed
at him. but while she evidently was
horror-stricken at his temerity, my
heart Ieaped with relief that he was
taking her revelations without the
anger I had feared.
We'll, mother" he said at last.
you are certainly the original litter
at windmills But when you feel il
incumbent upon YOU again to defend
my honor don't take il 10 heart
quite SO tragically. The poor old
duffer at the Sydenham doesn't
mean any harm. As near as I can
find out he must have been head
over heels In love with Madge's
mother when she was a girl And
J am sure 7 don't wonder at him il
Madge looks as much like her
mother as the old boy says she
does" Re stopped to blow me a
kiss, which I returned regardless of
the icy look with which my mother
in-law was regarding me.
"Of course. he's probably getting
into his dotage when he talks about
leaving his money TO Madge. but his
private supper party wasn't such a
bad idea. I'm fact / don't know but
I would have enjoyed that myself.
II the lonesome old chap wants to
spend some OF his extra mazuma
giving parties for Madge because
She looks like her mother I don't
know as 7 have any kick coming"
Madgc Refuses to Explain.
How grateful I was 10 Dickv for
this little speech he will never
know. I knew that he distinctly did
not relish his mothers revelations
concerning the elderly millionaire's
eNtravagaut admiration of me. and
his extraordinary plans for my en-
tertainment and future. But he had
kept his real thought TO himself
and has ranged himself against his
mother for my sake
Her next words shattered all the
relief I had felt at picky's cham.
pionship Of Mr. Gordon.
Richard you are perfectly hope
less,' she snapped The man may
have been I'm love with Margaret.
mother. I DO not doubt that he
was. but have YOU never heard OF
such men falling i'm love with the
daughter Of the women they once
loved hopelessly2"
Don't make the poor man out a
potential Mormon. mother" DickS
iihed
"Jecr ri your old mother n YOU
wish, Richard" his mother went or
icily. "but let me tell YOU that Mr.
Gordon is madly I'm love with Mar.
garet, and il YOU do not look out
YOU viii have a scandal on your
hands"
You are going a bit too far In
your excitement mother" Dick,
said sternly. You may not realize
It, but YOU are insinuatlng tina
there might he possibility OF
Madge's returning the mans admir-.
alton"
"I ann not insiuuating anything.
his mother returned white-lipDed
with anger. but I certainly thinl
Margaret owes both YOU and me ar
explanation Of the untruth she told