The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-11-18
New Revelations of
a Wife
How Madse Swept Lillian loft Her

BY ADELE GARRISON

How Madge Swept Lillian "Off Her
/ Feet"
Daylight was breaking when Lillian
returned to the room where she had
left Marion in my arms. The child was
4 no longer there, however, but rolled up
in almost a ball at the foot of the bed.
/ When I had first substituted myself
for her mother, Marion had burrowad
| into my arms and body like a fuzzy,
homesick kitten, never waking. And she
| had lain quietly enough. for almost an
| hour Then, to my dismay-for 1 had
| such fear of her waking to the old ter
ror and grief-she had begun to wriggle
away from me. 1 had feared to detain
her, in fact, even to move, and after
two or three essays. all the time sound
| asleep, she had reached her present
resting place. Moving cautiously, had
drawn coverlet over her, inch by inch,
ana then had lain quietly watching her
and waiting for her mothers return.
Llllian's quick eyes spied her as soon
as she entered the room, and 1 saw a
look OF relief flash into her eyes, which
mad been filled with torturing anxiety.
| She'll be all right now" she said in
a low tone. When Marion curls up
hKe that she is safe to sleep soundly for
hours. WIN you please come into the
! ONAcT
| knew the tidings Lillian brought
| even as 1 followed her into the white
and crimson living room, but didn't ask
a single question. Lillian was in a most
perturbed mood, and I knew better than
to bother her.
Lillian is Perturbed.
| We'll, it's all over, Madge." she said
at last, turning to me, and I was sur
| prlsed 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
| oy her cowardce and weak sentiment
| Tor her son had caused Lillian so much
! misery Then 1 recalled the many in
stances had known Of my friends royal
| SOUL and wondered no longer. There
simply was no room in Lillian Under
woods being for petty resentment.
Poor, old soul" she unused. Glow
| she adored Marion, and how the child
| loved her. I'm at my wits end what
to do, Madge." Her voice became STAG
catoo worried when that baby wakes
and finds her grandmother gone forever
| I'm SO afraid"
Her voice broke, and I saw that for
perhaps the first time in her life she
was unable to arrive at one of her quick,
was I that I had cut the Gordian knot
although I feared Lillian might be dis
pleased when I should tell her how
| had taken affairs into my own hands
There was no use delaying the revela-
ton, however. 1 took my courage in
both hands and spoke quietly, yet with
a certain emphasis.
Why tell herr"
Lillian looked quickly, shrewdIy at
house as soon as she awakens? I've
me.
You mean get her away from the
thought of that, but I'm sure she won't
go without demanding to see her .;rand
mother. And while Marion is obdient in
most things I simply cannot manage her
in one of her emotional outbursts, such
as she must have had before we came
in last night
But I think Robert Savarin could"
returned quietly. Don't you rem. l.
her how we used to smile at Marion's
intense admiration for him last winter |
Robert Savarin!' Lillian demanded |
fevershly, Have you taken leave Of
your senses. Madge?" /
sit down, please" I pulled chair |
forward for her. land Til tell you all |
about it. There's nothing to be per- |
turbed about
keep II Up"
She sank into the chair obediently, |
but with a curious expression on her
face. I knew what it meant. This sud- !
den initiative Of mine took her off her |
feet bit She had been accustomed |
to decide everything for herself and |
everyone else for so many years that |
she hardly knew how to play any other |
role.
1 wasted no words in telling her of
what had DONE simply reproduced the
words of my telephone conversation
with Mrs. Cosgrove. There was no need
to go into my motives or reasons for
doing what I had done That Lillian
would understand I was certain.
She listened quietly until I had fin
ished. Then she sprang to her feet with
an excited exclamation.
THE milk train! Why Madge, he will
be here in a couple of hours!'
noticed that she said che" not
"they", although l had told her that
Robert Savarin's sister, Mrs Cosgrove.
was coming with the artist I also OBJ /
served, that she gave a quick, disnayed 4
glance down at her attire, rumpled and Il
disordered from her attendance upon 1
Marion and in the room of death up
stairs. Il
Il know all about that" I returned 4
calmly, land I'll attend to everything !!
They will be here"-I consulted nv II
watch" in two hours. Now I want Il
you to go into that room with Marion Il
and sleep for an hour and a half. I'll
promise to call you on the minute. That
will give you half a hour for-dressing
u almost said "preening." but bit
back the word in time. And in the II
meantime I'll 20 down into +ba l,;+oh.n
and get them something to eat
"But-Betty!" Lillian said uncartai,,v II
I'm attend to Betty I retorted de-
cidedly. Come, now. to bed you CO."
She stepped forward innpuIsivelv.
caught my hands and kissed me.
you're a brick, Madge!" she said. "I
don't know where this sudden cock II
sureness of yours has come from, but it's
very becoming-and valna hla Ia q Il