New Britain herald., 1922-05-12
The Way Mother Graham Made Her
 Appearance.


 Its a crime to disturb you," Lil- Han said softly, as she smiled down al me, Marion, sound asleep. was cud- died against my shoulder. and. in. deed, l was not far from slumber my self, despite the fright and excite ment had just undergone.
 With infinite care we moved the curly head from my shoulder 10 the pillow. Then, with Lillians hand aiding mo, 1 slipped from the bed without disturbing Marion's slumher. l waited until we were out of the room before answering her regretful little speech.
 Its a crime for mo to be so near sleep" I answered. when you are so troubled, but I'll defy anybody to croon The House That Jack Built very long without dozing"
 So that's the way you put her to sleep" Lillian commented. Its all ways sure fire. isn't it? Pity we can't work it on your mother-in- law" /"
 We were at the stairs by this time, well out of earshot, but Lillian spoke in as subdued whisper as though Dickys formidable parent were at her elbow And even after we reached the kitchen, to which, little to my surprise Lillian led the way, she kept her voice to q murmur.
 What will you take to make d pot of your unparalleled coffee? 2" she asked. peering with practced house. wifely air into the kitchen stove, after she had softly closed the door lead ing to the dining room T see Katie prudently, has her wood fire all laid for breakfast. but it wont hurt her to build it again, and I simply shall lie down in the corner and pass out to slow music if I don't have cup of coffee soon"
 You never knew me to refuse one, did you?" ] asked, taking down the percoator as she applied a match to the shavings in the stove. But l warn you that closed door won't keep the aroma of this from Mother Ora hams nostris If every keyhole and crack in the house were stopped up. she'd smell coffee brewing, and want a cup. I'll put in enough for her"
 Madge Is Apprehensive.
 "Of course. Make a pot while you are about it, for we shall have a guest with us in few minutes. There, that fire is all right. Now I'll inter- view the refrigerator and the pantry. and see what sort Of snack I can rout out for a hungry man."
 I turned from the coffee grinder and stared at her in amazement.
 Tom Chester will be here in few minutes" she said. That is, he will be if my hunch as to Smiths probable homeward course holds true. And he'll be hungry, of course. l. never knew a youth his age who wasn't And practically every re- turned soldiers a coffee fiend, so get busy"
 I turned to the coffee grinder again, finished that task prepared the coffee and set it over the blaze before l spoke There was still fresh in my mind the memory of Tom Chester's last visit to the house, and Mother Graham's caustic and insulting con- ment thereon. What might not my mother-in-law take it into her heead to say or do?
 She had confined her remarks to my ears upon the first occasion, but I had no assurance that she would not express her dsapprova of his presence in the house before Lillian or even before Tom Chester, himself At the bare thought of the last con- tingency I shivered inyountarily and glanced up to see Lilliain looking at me with whimsical sympathy.
 Mother Graham's Orders.
 e1, r.ti murmuring monotone 'I have your doughty mother-in-law lashed to the mast with the idea firmly fixed in her head that any untoward move- ment on her part would send the whole ship of state plunging into a whirling abyss, if you know what it is. She knows we're going to make coffee, and I've promised to take her up a cup, so I'm not afraid shell disturb the coming conference. The only reason I'm keeping my voice lowered is that her ruling passion may bring her down to see that you are brewing the coffee according to Hoyle. But she'll go back again. for shes tool tired and sleepy to make full toilet, and she would face a stranger in nothing less. There, l told you so.'
 Threre was q familiar footfall on the dining room floor, and the next instant Mother aJestic in| her gray dressing gown, the braided whisps of her hair covered with a silk cap, her feet decorously shod in gray slippers instead of the red yarn ones which had completed the ludi- crous picture in her bedroom-stalked into the kitchen.
 You didn't need to close that door Margaret" she said acridly. T could tell even through it that you're not making that coffee properly. H'm'