Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-01-01
My HEART and
My HUSBAND
Revelations
of G. Wife
What Troubled Madge When Her
Father Asked Her for "A
Little Chat"

Little Chat"
Daughter, dear!'
My fathers quiet voice sounded
outside my door shortly after break
fast few days following the snug
Cling of Kenneth Stockbridgc's
desk into our house. / fastened 10
throw open my door at the gentle
summons.
Come in, father" I said, holding
out my hands to him.
As I did SO, 4 twinge OF remorss
caught me. for all at once / realized
that although in the same house,
I had seen very little Of my father
in the months that were past. II is
apt to be the fat of unobtrusive
elderly persons to be neglected. ]
think, because they have a horror
of "bothering" people. But the love
light in my fathers eyes as he
grasped my hands, drew me close
to him and kissed me tenderly,
showed me all too clearly how prec-
ious to him were the moments when
he COULD have me all to himself,
when | was just daughter, with
motherhood, wifehood, everything
else RELOCATED for the moment to
second place.
With little catch at my heart I
remembered something else, that the
short intervals of confidential chat
with me were more than he had
ever enjoyed before. He had never
known what it was to see his child
grow from small childhood into
young girlhood, and from that
into woman hood, and never enjoyed
that dearest of all privileges to the
average father, that of ihdulging the
slightest wish of an adored young
daughter. He had only found me
after my marriage when my first
thoughts and affections were ire
vocably bound to my husband. when
even father I had known and loved
from babyhood would have been
compelled to take second place.
That it was his own sin and folly
which had thus set him apart from
all family ties did not absolve me.
| reminded myself grimly, for neg
Letting him now. With my mothers
dying admonition ringing in my ears
I had freely forgiven him for all
that old bitter wrong, and in the
years that had passed since I had
learned to love him dearly. In his
turn he had lavished upon me such
wealth of affection as few daugh-
ters know.
Afraid Of Bothering.
Only the loss OF his fortune,
knew, had prevented him from
showering the material things of
life upon me to a degree that would
have been embarrassing. And in
return | had given fin-what? Def
erence, love, attention to his COM
fort, yes-but l acknowledged to
myself guiltily that there had been
many times when might have
made an opportunity to sit and talk
with him and-had not done it.
"Are you sure am not bothering
you, dear, sure you have time for .
little chat?" he asked deprecatingly,
and the words seemed to embody
all the accusation l had Just made
against myself.
Bother me" I returned with real
indignation in my voice. "You ought
to be ashamed of yourself to talt
like this. Don't you know that yos
couldn't possibly bother me! The
trouble with you isl went on
breathlessly, encouraged by tn.
gratifed light that 1eaped into hi.
tired eyes, at my raillery-"that you
don't bother me half enough. You
neglect your own daughter shame
fully, sir, and as for your grandson
just see how reproachfully he is
looking at you"
| could not help laughing at my
own ridiculous words as looked al
my small son, who was the picture
of anything but reproach or sad
ness. / had begun to disrobe him
for his morning tub, and he-rejoic-
ing in his freedom from his hated
clothing-was indulging in = series
of baby gymnastics in his crib that
threatened to tie him up in 4 hard
knot, chattering to himself the while
in his cooling, untranslatable jareon.
+ My father smiled as he followed
my eyes; he is no less slave to the
baby than is mother-in-law.
II don't think he will pass out for
lack of my attentions just now" he
said dryly. But am / not interrupt
ing his bath? I know how careful
you are to give it to him at jus,
the same time each morning"
I took him by the shoulders and
pushed him into my easiest chair.
Now, sir, you sit right there until
| give you permission to move"
said with playful, authority. land
please see that Junior doesn't tie
himself up so tightly that he, canno,
get Strengthened out again. I'll be
back in one minute"
Mother Graham Aids.
F. I fairly ran out of the door, shut,
ting it behind me, however. and
tapped on the door of my mother
in-law's room, hardly waiting for
her Come in" to enter.
Would you mind" I asked
breathless1y. giving the baby his
bath this morning? | have him near.
ly ready, but my father has just
come to my room. evidently to con-
suit me about something, and I
don't want to keep him waiting, he
so seldom asks me for anything"
III don't know, Margaret" my
mother-in-law replied tartly, and I
saw that she was in one of her acid
moods. that ! have evet minded
doing any service, no matter how
mental, for Richard Second. And
if you have any time to spare for
your father ! shall be glad to see
him get it. It's more than Richard
has for me. Bring my grandson and