South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-10
WHAT KATIE WISHED MADGE
To TELL THE MAN SdE
LOVED

ask her 10 tell the reason for her
sudden outbreak OF tears and sobs,
she clutched me convulsively WITH
both her strong young hands and
putting her head down on my shout
der wept as II her heart would
break
let the tears have their way.
reasoning that no matter what their
cause, they would relieve her. But 1
could not understand the outburst.
Katie had always seemed such
volatile. happy-g o-lucky creature,
with only occasional fits OF sullen-
ness Since her engagement to Jim
she had been wildly happy. But as
I reflected on il. I had seen her sew
eral times musing as if worried.
dIer sobs gradually grew quieter.
and at last she withdrew herself
from my arms. and faced me. her
face all swollen and creased with
tears.
Il guess YOU tink I'm crazy, Missis
Graham" she said. but 1 so wor-
ried. I not know vot TO do. l have
10 tell somebody something's. I 'fraid
TO tell Jim. He maybe get so mad
by me 1 guess 1 tell you Maybe
you tell me vOt right TO do"
She walked over to the door,
closed and locked it. Then bringing
/ her rocking chair over 10 me, she
/ pushed me gently into il and sank
down on the floor at my feet. clasp
| inE my knees and looking UP into
my face with all the humble pa
/ thetic trustfulness Of a dog.
Don't sit down there, Katie" I
SAID, with vague dislike Of seeing
/ her in that posture. There is an
/ other chair over there"
81 feel so mooch better here,
/ she returned, pitifully. For a long
/ time she sat silent, while I waited
/ for her to regain control OF herself.
II not know joost how to tell
you she said slowly Il so
! ashamed"
Never mind being ashamed.
| Katie I said. a bit impatiently. for
( that was Katie's phrase, her excuse
/ for everything that went wrong.
/ Just tell me all about whatever
]
81 guess 1 begin at the beginning"
she said, after another long pause.
| DOT vas back in Poland when I was
so young. so foolish"
Her Youthful Romance.
| Katie's air OF maturity, Of having
( experienced all the problems of TIE
ages, made me want TO smile. but
/ I knew better than TO DO anything
which would stop the flood Of con-
| hdence she was evidently about TO
! pour out 10 me.
"I only sixteen" Katie went on.
even sooch a handsome man came
( to our town. oh. so handsome, beeg.
like Meester Underwood, joost sooch
black eyes like one devil"
I smiled mentally at the COM
parison. wondering what Harry
I Underwood would say if he could
hear her. But I could not resist
one mischievous question.
"Handsomer than Jim. Katie?'
asked slyly.
"Oh, dot Jim" Katie's tone held
a half-contemptuous infection, al
though 1t was full OF the very real
I 1
the man she was to marry so soon.
Jim. he not handsome. He joost
goot."
which is much. much better.
Katie" I could not help saying.
I was really bewildered at the
girls attitude and worried lest the
secret which she seemed bent on
telling me should prove something
which might stand in the way of her
marriage.
Yes I know" the girl agreed
quickly. but ven / sixteen I no tink
so I tink dis man dot COON to my
town joost one big god"
"He likes me, too she went on,
simpering with the recollection of
her youthful conquest. but my
moder she no like heem. SO 1 meet
heem, YOU know. on sly I one little
fool" she reflected calmly.
Katie Katie" I reproved.
"Plees exCOos. Missis Graham"
she answered. mechanically. evil
IDENTIFY too bent on her story to mind
either reproof or interruption But
ven I tink OF dot man. I get so mad
/ I could ioost keel
HE meets me lots times, make
i me So much lof dot / tink / lof him.
I joost crazy about dot man. SO ven
ne say. Your moder one old fool.
YOU run away and marry me- l go
right alonE."
. But Katie I protested shocked
and horrited. you have no right TO
marry Jim if YOU have been married
once"
you Tell jim.
"Joost YOU wait" Katie said calm
IL. It go wit him 10 anoder town.
long way of. We get married. We
live dere three. four mont. Den my
moder. my fader. dey md me, after
dev hunt for me lots. You see dey
ind out dot man he have one wife,
four kids already. and my fader
pretty near keel him. he beat heem
up so"
Den my fader. my moder, dey
say dey not take me home, because
my marriage 70 dot man not real
marriage. Dey say I Disgrace.
But dev gOOt TO me Ny mOder she