South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-22
HON MADGE SWEPT LILLIAN
OFF HER FEET"


OFF HER FEET"
Daylight was breaking when Lii
liam returned 20 the room where she
had left Marion in nay arms The
child was no longer there. how ever,
but rolled up in almost a ball at the
foot OF the bed.
When ] had first substituted my
self for her mother, Marion had bur
rowed into my arms and body ike
a fuzzy homesick kitten, never wax
ing And she had lain quietly enough
for almost an hour. Then. TO my
dismay-for ] had such fear OF her
waking TO the old terror and grief
she had begun 20 wriggle away from
me / had feared 10 detain her. in
fact. even 10 move. and after two or
three essays. all he time sound
asleep. she had reached her present
resting place. Moving cautiously, /
had drawn "a coverlet over her, inch
by inch. and then had lain quietly
watching her and waiting for her
mothers return.
Lllian's quick eyes spied her as
soon as she entered the room. ana
! saw a look of relief flash into her
eyes, which had been filled with tor
turing anxiety.
she'll be an right now. she said
I'm a low tone when Marion curls
up like that she is safe 10 sleep
sOundly for hours. Will YOU please
come into the other room ."
1 knew the tidings Lillian brought
even as ! followed her into the white
and crimson living room, but l didn't
ask a single question. Lillian was in
a most perturbed mood, and I knew
better than TO bother her.
Lillian is Pcrturbed
well it's all over, Madge, she
said at last. turning TO me. and / was
surprised TO see that there were
traces Of tears on her face. Surely
she owed no grief to the poor old
creature upstairs. the mother OF her
first husband. who by her cOwardice
and weak sentiment for her son had
caused Lillian so much misery Then
+ 1 recalled the many instances L had
known OF my friends royal soul. and
wondered no longer. There simply
was no room in Lillian Underwood
being for petty resentment.
Poor, old soul. she unused.
F How she adOred Marion. and how
/ the child loved her, I'm at my wits
end what to do, Madge." Her voice
/ became staccato. worried. When
that baby wakes and finds her
grandmother gone forever-Tm so
afraid"
Her voice broke, and j saw that
I for perhaps the first time in her life
she was unable TO arrive at one of
her quick. Unerring decisions.
Thankful, indeed was 1 that I had
cut the Gordian knot, although I
feared Lillian might be displeased
hen / should tell her how / had
taken affairs into my own hands.
+ There was no use delaying the
revelation. however. I took my cour-
+ age i'm both hands and spoke quietly,
yet with a certain emphasis.
why tell her.
Lillian looked quickly shrewdly
at me.
You mean get her away from the
+ house as soon as she awakens? I've
+ thought OF that, but I'm sure she
won't go without demanding to see
I her grandmother. And while Marion
I is Obedient i'm most things / simply
cannot manage her in one of her
/ emotional outbursts, such as she
must have had befo~1 we came in
\ last night"
But I think Robert Savarin
could" I returned quickly Don't
/ you remember how we used to smile
At Marion's intense admiration for
/ him last winter"
Robert Savarin." Lillian demand
ca feverishlv Have you taken
leave of your senses. Madge? ."
sit down. please" pulled q
chair forward for her. and I'll tell
/ YOU all about it. There's nothing tc
/ be perturbed about"
Keep il Up"
I She sank into the chair obedient-
/ iy but with a curious expression on
/ her face knew what il meant
This sudden initiative of mine tool,
/ her of her feet a bit. She had been
/ accustomed 10 decide everything for
I herself and everyone else for SO
many years that she hardly knew
Y how 10 play any other role.
wasted no words in telling her
OF what ] had done. simply repro
I duced the words OF my telephone
/ conversation with Mrs. Cosgrove
/ There was no need 10 go into my
motives or reasons for doing what
had done THAT Liiiian would un-
derstlnd 7 was certain
She ls.ened auietIv unLl had