Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-10

decorated for bravery under fire is
distinctly worth while"
"Fiddlesticks!" my little friend
said explosively. "Of course she's
brave and all that, but you know
she didn't cross the ocean just to
serve her Country. although I won't
say that wasn't part of her reason"
she admitted reluctantly. But I
should think you of all people
wouldn't care' to have that gang
gangihg around here for a week or
two. If Alf spends all the time he
can steal from his Office at home
you'll see Dicky will be doing the
same thing, and then what will you
say"
What Madge Advised.
There were several things in this
speech which l resented holly One
of the tenets held most strongly by
my little mother, and which she in
culcated in me so religiously that
I've never forgotten it, is that dis.
cussing ones husband with others
is. one of the objectionable social
sins.
z, With Lillian, cid friend of Dicky,
and wonderful substitute for the sis
ter l never had, / have been COM
PEELED to talk sometimes of the
problems confronting ire. But Lii
Ian is the embodiment of tact and
discretion. She never either asks
or insinuates an unnecessary ques-
ton. On the contrary, little Mrs.
Durkee, dear and sweet as she is.
has a faint streak of malicious
curiosity in her makeup, a charac-
teristic that annoys me exceedingly.
although I'm compelled to overlook
it on account of her many splendid
qualities. +
But I could not keep a certain
GOODNESS out of my voice as l re-
piled.
"You are mistaken" said quietly.
1T is> absolutely immsterial to me
whether they come here or not. But
if I were in your place, and were as
worried about Alfred as you are, /
would waste no time in penning the
most cordial invitation I could frame
to Rita Brown"
My little neighbor stared at me in
wide-eyed amazement.
"Wellw she calculated. I'D like
to know what you mean by that? |
may have to have the girl here, and
to treat her with civility, but that's
all Alfred can expect of me. | think
! see myself writing anything more
than a courteous formal note to her.
If she has an atom of delicacy she'll
see through the lines and decline it"
Tests of Diplomacy.
Eyes" l retorted. "and be very
sure she'll contrive in some manner
to let Alfred conjecture why she did
it-she's far too clever to tell him
outright-and, then your son. while
he may not show it, will be resent
full toward you and sympathetic to-
ward her. and you ought to know
that it's dangerous situation when
a man begins to champion girl
against his mother"
g! suppose So" little Mrs. Durkee
replied, YEARLY unconvinced. But I
should think anything would be bet
ter than having that awful girl in
the same house with Alf for week
or two. Propinquity. you know"
yes, I know" / retorted. But |
also know that it has broken up as
many matrimonial engagements as it
has fostered. Just stop and think
a moment, nyfriend. You know
what surroundings have always been
Rita Browns. She is an artificial
studio product, with the city part
of her very blood and bone. What
every glamor she may have for Al
red in enhanced by her surroundings
into which she fits perfectly, like
bizarre picture in a striking France
But take her out of that frame, put
her out here in the country, which
Alfred adores, and see how tawdry
and common she will appear.
depend upon it, my dear, if Al
fred has any attraction in her direc-
tion-which,by the way, l don't be-
lieve at all, I think it is just his
natural goodness of heart that is
responsible, for the invitation-it will
be effectually killed by the girl her
self before the week is over"
Little Mrs. Durkee looked at me
with eyes in-which l saw dawning
comprehension.
ITS worth trying. anyway" she
said decidedly.
CONTINUED Tomorrow