New Britain herald., 1921-12-24
Dicky Discovers Madge's Secret.

picky Discovers MadgeS Secret
 With swift, practiced movements Dicky stripped the wet clothing from Junior-of course, man-fashion, leav- Ing the soaked garments in a hear on the foor-and went into his bed room
 My little chap was so adorable as he stood rogushly smiling up at me, his face and body all rosy his curls wet and rumped, that l forgot my gown, and gave him hearty hug even as I began rubbing him vigor- ously with the bath towel ] had brought while Dicky was stripping him.
 Let me do that" Lillian said, talk ing the towel from me, while you get his clothing"
 l obeyed her sensible suggestion, and had no sooner laid pumps, socks, underwear and romper on the chair beside her than Dicky's voice sounded from the next room In the impera- tive, querulous demand I had feared;
 "Madge Where are those gray trousers? Have you been disturbing my things? Yes, sir, you have. Well, by the left ear of Adams off OK, if this isn't the holy outside limit Say, come across with those pants, pronto. What the dickens did you do with them?"
 ] shot a dismayed though laughing glance at Lillian, for knew her quick comprehension would see the connection between my announcement to her that I had been packing for the journey home, and this disappear ance of part of Dicky's wardrobe And I saw an answering smile on her face as l made evasive answer to Dicky's demand,
 "Why don't you put on your knickerbockers?"
 Because they're in no shape to wear after last nights crawling under barbedwire fences and over stones"
 q don't mean that pair"
 You know I wouldn't wear those do dog fight. Tailor made 'em about . mile too bg. Look here, what are you trying to do, stall about those gray trousers? What have you done with em', traded 'em for a teakettle to the tin peddler?"
 DicEy Objects
 There was rising note of irrita- ton in Dickys voice which I rec ognized. But I dreaded telling him the truth. Not that minded undoing the package into which I had packed them, but I knew that fastidious Dicky would not wear the trousers after being thus rumpled. Lillian struck into the conversation, giving me time to think.
 "You grossly overestimate the pur- chasing power of pants in these later days dear boy" she called. Even If there were a tin peddler in the world, which l doubt, you would get no tea kettle for the niftiest trousers in all the land. A coffee-strainer, perhaps, or a pairing knife, or even sauce pan, if you threw in a necktie, but a teakettle , It is to laugh
 Tt is to murder !" Dicky growled 'as you two idiots will find out in about two seconds more. Here !. Whats this? We'll I'll be-"
 What he would be, though I well knew the familiar ending of his sen tence, was lost in the furious tearing of paper. I knew that Dicky had dis covered one of my parcel-post pack ages which I had putt had thought beyond discovery behind some books on the topmost shelf In Dicky's room I waited nervously for the ex- plosion I knew was coming.
 T might have known you'd begun your usual internal packing stunt" To my surprise Dicky's voice was only mildly querulous. and l decided that by some miraculous streak of luck the gray trousers were not so rumpled but what they could be worn. sig nailed my belief to Lillian, and she