South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-03

For al fun minute I stood silently
in Dicky's embrace. savoring 20 the
full the relieved assurance Of his ap-
provaI Of my home-buyinE venture
had not known. myself. how acute
the strain OF the preceding days had
been until ! had heard from his lips
hls enthusiastic appreciation OF the
old Dacey farmstead on which I had
taken an option.
Then came the inevitable reaction
20 the practical With a little dis
mayed grasp I swayed back from
Dicky's arms.
But what your mother will ever
| say 1 Mt know" I gave a little
shiver o. apprehension as I visual
lied Mother Graham's face when she
should hear Of our new venture. You
see. dear. things are in an appaulI-
ling state inside the house Two most
lawful families-ignorance and dirt
! personified-have just moved out OF
/ il. They've been keeping chickens
and making hooch-"
Where? When? Is there any OF
it left? Lead me TO il instantly"
Dicky exclaimed flippantly. and then
as / laughed at his nonsense. ne de-
manded bit impatiently.
"Win you tell me why you laugh
at my foOlishness. and at the same
time take my mothers absurdity Sc
riously? Does il make the slightest
difference what she says or does2
There are only two things she can
do one is 10 talk her head off. and
as il IS summertime, you surely can
get Out-of-doors and away from her
most Of the time. especially if you
have this place 10 look after. The
other thing is TO threaten TO go to
Elizabeth's or Harriet's. And that
probably would be the best thing
that could happen. She hasn't been
either place in a long while, and by
the time she finished her visit the
place would be I'm readiness"
There was a note of cheerful opti-
mism in Dicky's tone which l wished
from the bottom of my heart 1 could
share. But 1 knew my august moth
er-in-law in a way that even he did
not
II she were not satisfied with the
house. if we went on with il against
her disapproval I would never hear
the last of her captious fault-finding
about IL. Nothing ever would be right
about IL from the ridgepole 10 the
foundation stones. and if during the
discussion she got angry enough to
go on one of her frequently threat
ened visits to her daughters. she
would return with only an intensi-
fled dislike for the place.
"Havc You Forgotten"
What's the natter" Dicky tipped
my chin so that ne looked straight
into my eyes. Something's tangled in
the Lutte. Come on, spill it,"
IF only mother could have found
this place herself?" 1 walled. But
Dicky, have you forgotten ?" I nam
ed two or three historic domestic
episodes when his mother had disap-
proved of one of our ventures. "Have
either of us heard the last ofthem o"
by jove." Dicky slapped his thigh
emphatically. as inspiration evidently
came 10 him. i've got il! Have you
told mother anything definite about
the place you found or that you had
planned TO buy instead of rent
you heard everything that was
said" I returned
do you think the TIGERS or Lii
have let anything out? I suppose
they know about il. Have you told
them ?"
"Oh. yes, But nothing was said to
mother. She was so tired YOU know
yes. and so all fired cranky. She
certainly staged an exhibition over
that dinner. / guess it's necessary
to get her into good humor or get her
away pronto, else our worthy hostess
will pitch US all into the road. neck
and crop"
\ Fear.
! 1 prudentlv refrained from re-
peating TO D'cky the remark 1 mad
heard Mrs TIGER make TO her hus-
I band anent this very topic. He
might veer suddenly TO the other
side. and decide that his mother was
being prosecuted.
How would it do" Dicky spoke
slowly. as if formulating a plan
for me 10 tell mother confidentially
in the morning that I've made in
/ quiries of some prominent men
know out here. and that there's
nothing at all in the country. then
call 10 her mind accidentally that
/ there are no storage facilities. and
I that our goods will have TO be sold
/ at auction and hers sent to Harriet
! or Elizabeth. Wen be walking down
the road at tie time-you know she
| loves a waIk-and I'll comment in
/ passing on the beauty Of this place,
/ too bad it's dnapidated. they don't
| build such houses nowadays etc.
I Ten TO one she'll begin to speculate
! on what she could do with it if we
only had il, and-thc battle is won.
You don't have TO close the deal un-
I'll late today do you?'
NO" I said. but it took all the
courage 1 could muster 10 add: And
I think that's splendid plan.
Dicky."
For. like every woman ! had had
visions of building the new home as
l wished il. But If Mother Graham
"a Dicky had said. began TO specu-
late upon what she would do with il
If she only had il. and could preen
herself upon finding il. I would have
about as much 10 say regarding the
restoration o. the place as Katie
would
IL YOU NEED \ WASHER.