Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-04
MY MARRIAGE
X1
Adele Garrison's
New Phase Off,.
OF WIFE
THE DISCOVERY MOTHER Ora.
HAM MADE IN DiCKY'S ROOM

Mother Graham's emotional transl-
tons are as hard to follow as katie's.
| knew perfectly well that the real
cause back of the angry, nervous out
burst which had eliminated in her
slapping of Junior, was her wrath
against me. But in her hysterical apol-
ogy to me over the sobbing child there
had been no trace of anger. Instead,
her poignant regret was pitlful in its
meekness, and | FASTENED to comfort
her.
What nonsense, Mother" | said IN
as matter-of-fact manner as | could
manage. Don't you suppose | know
how you idolize the child? Besides, you
had a great deal of provocation. he
was very naughty, indeed"
I madesmy voice properly repriering
for Juniors ears. With the blissful
forgetfulness of young childhood he had
hushed his sobs and was regarding me
curiously from his grandmother's arms.
But if / had cherished any idea that
this speech would ,salve my mother-in-
laws feelings | was doomed to swift
disappointment. With another of her
lightning like changes, she turned 4
frowning face toward me.
Well. If he was. whose fault is it,
I'd like to know" she demanded.
Hes always tagging around after that
ape of a Katie. and she's the sasslest
thing that ever walked on two legs.
It's a good thing she was out of the
way. She probably would have stuck
a breadknife into me. Not that | don't
deserve it."
She buried her face in Juniors curls
with a c%onvulsive sniff or two, while
7 mentally echoed her satisfaction that
Lyo%:o Lo5 -oA ,r;+naccnJ rha ,,urrSllnl
grandmotherly dis%ciplining of Junior.
Mother Graham's Decision
But / haven't any time to waste
here" Mother Graham declared abrupt
". setting Junior down with a kiss.
I'm going to give Richards room q
thorough overhauling. Of course, you'll
think it's none of my business, but. it's
Il crime the way you neglect that room.
/ can tell you / would have been
thought pretty strackish if | had let
my husbands room go undusted."
did you have separate rooms in
those days?" ! asked in%nocently.
NO" she snapped. whats that
got to do with it, I'd like to know:"'
"A great deal, / think" / answered
mildly. "Dicky and / always have re-
spected each others wishes concerning
the arrangement and the care of our
rooms. He knows that I like my room
always in order. and he is always most
careful about littering it up
Yes, you are very particular about
your own room. ! notice. my mother
in-law said unpleasantly.
"And he has told me many times
that it drives him mad to have anyone
NEEDLE with his things j went son
steadily, ignoring the ill-natured little
fling. $50 / never touch it myself. or
permit Katie to do anything save take
out the rugs and draperies and clean
the windows and floor. His belongings
] never handle"
"Yours-Ciaire''
Eyes. and q fine mess they're in,
too" my mother-in-law rejoined tartly.
But if you want TO encourage Richard
in that sort of untidy nonsense, / don't
intend to. / happen to be his mother,
and | will not permit him to have a
room look like that in any house ]
live in. He didn't keep his room look
ing like that when he lived with me,
/ can tell you"
/ could have retorted crushingly with
the comparison Dicky frequently drew
between the nagging to which his moth
er always subjected him concerning his
belongings and what he termed my
cursed confines" But L only replied
meekly: mo, ! suppose he didn't"
Then / watched her stalk away to her
sons room with the certainty that she
would so upset his things that, in her
own oId-fashioned parlance. Dicky
would be "fit to be tied" when he should
rome home again.
"When he should come home again?'
My heart rephrased the sentence as a
question, as / went back into my room
with Junior clinging tightly to my hand.
Marion had disappeared when / came
into the hall, and / guessed that she
had fled to her mother for comfort. |
had a sudden poignant longing for my
own little mother, laid to rest before |
ever had met Dicky. But that she
would have understood better than any
one else the problems ] had to face
with my Peter Pan, / was instinctively
ture.
/ sat in my room for over an hour,
Worrying over Dicky's silence and DIR.
Pettit's inexplicable hints. / was SO
absorbed that / did not hear my moth
er-in-law's knock nor entrance until
she stood over me, her face grim and
pale, in her hand a large and expensive
photograph.
I'll give you something. to think
about" she said. .Wil you tell me
F