South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-20
How Mother Graham Defeated Cou-
sin Agatha's Little Plan and
COmfOrted Madge.

SIN Agatha'S Little Plan and
Comforted Madge.
do not know who was the more
sstonished. Cousin Agatha or I.
when the folds OF English chintz.
exquisite in color and design, I'M
rolled from the bundle in my moth
"a in laws hands But astonishment
was the only feeling we had in COM
mon.
My delight in the beautiful fabric
/ i had 50 much wanted for the up
holstering OF the old walnut furni-
ture l had bought was tempered by
\ the little remorseful tugging at my
heart as / thought of the resentful
thoughts toward my mother in law
in which I had just been INDUCING.
But the furtive glance OF Cousin
Agoth sent in my direction was
allied With disappointed malice. She
/ lad ;ried so hard TO foment i'll feel
Ing between my mother in law and
myself that this exhibition OF the
kindly feeling my husbands mother
/ had for me was like the traditional
San and NORWOOD to her envious
soul.
i suppose this is a sort Of reward
OF merit card for being a good girl
about the knitting, Margaret" she
said acidly. before I had caught my
/ bl cath enough TO thank my mother
/ IN law for the trouble she had taken
to change the tapestry of her seIec-
ton for the chintz which had been
my expressed choice for the uphol-
STEERING.
Ghe tiresome trip to the city which
my mother in law had made, ar
Z cuous as it was for one OF her years
and infirmity, was not the thing that
most appealed TO me- 1t was the
fact that voluntarily she had laid
aside one of her rigid opinions. had
sacrificed her own inclination 10
mine, and that at the very moment
l thought her both unjust and un-
kind
sprang to my feet as Cousin Ag-
atha finished her catty little speech.
and gathered chintz and mother in
law in my arms.
"You Understand Mel"
'Oh, mother, dear" l said tremu-
lousy, wherever did you find this?
It's the most exquisite thing. far
prettier than the designs at which
1 looked"
"Of course it is" my mother in
/ law resumed complacently, giving
me the peck on the cheek which
| is her usual apology for kiss. and
1 disengaging herself and the chintz
f,.ov,, y,,,- q rr,u ssrrbo..o I'LL. :. $500.
show their most exclusive designs TO
! inexperienced buyers. 1t takes
knowledge of fabrics and of shopping
TO get the best results"
My face Swallowed l couldn't help
il. Why, / asked myself rebellious-
/ ~, did my mother in law invariab bly,
spoil ever her most kindly meant
actions with her arrogant, inconsid-
crate manner? Her cousins malic-
ions, cutting words were right
She had changed the tapestry for
the chintz not in any tardy recog-
milton of my right TO have a voice
in the selection of draperies for my
own home, but because she had been
pleased with my submission 10 her
/, wishes in the knitting controversy.
The chintz was a fit reward of
merit card" such as d long suffer
ing teacher might hand out to some
pupil who had at last learned her
lesson.
How fortunate it is for you.
Margaret" purred Cousin Agatha,
that you can have the benefit OF
your mother in laws experience.
So many young wives, lacking
curb of any sort. make SO many
mistakes in taste and waste so much
money"
The insinuating. malicious words
were effectual counter irritant TO my
own thoughts They brought back
the resolution I'd made but little
while before TO thwart in every way
possible Cousin Agathas evident
discrimination TO SOW discord be-
tween my mother in law and me.
But before 1 could put into words
rebuke as subtle as her own in
situation, my mother in law took
the necessity Of answering her cou-
sin away from me.
Agatha" she said sharply you
are simply insufferable"
i 40 not understand you, Har-
riet' the other woman began. with
her usual air Of long-suffering
meekness.
"Oh. yes you do" retorted my
mother in law You understand me
perfectly You always were a reg
ular cat, from the time your mother
put you in short clothes. But you're
sharpening your claws on the wrong
Tree now, let me tell you. 1 know
you as we'll as il I'd strung your
bones like beads on string and put
YOU together. You'd like nothing
better than 10 stir up some kind OF
a mess between Margaret and me,
but you can't do IL, not the way
you're going about il, at any rate.
And I'd advise you TO stop trying q.
YOU know what's good for you
The words appeared 10 convey
covert threat 20 the other woman,
for her face. which had worn a set.