New Britain herald., 1922-01-21
The Way Mother Graham Took q Hand.n


 "Euzabeth :" My mother-in-law'g voice was like trumpet call, with an exceedingly angry trumpetcr blow ing the instrument, What on earth does this performance mean? l left this room in order not ten minutes ago, and now-and now-just look at it :"
 l did not wonder that her voice ral- tered and ran down in sheer inability to express her wrath and consterna- ton Our pretty living-room looked US if the traditional cyclone had taken an especially vicious twirl in it. Be- side the upturned antique sofa, to which the small amateur Thespians were still clinging, several chairs were overturned, and my best sofa cush- ions lay crumpled into dirty, untidy Jumps in different corners of the room.
 l was curious to see what reaction there would be to her wrathful out break on the part of her daughter, Mrs. Harrison. I knew that in Har- riet Braithwaite's home. Mother Gra- ham had reigned benevolent tyrant, and while I never had given her the housekeeping reins as my sister-in- law, Harriet, had done, yet everybody in our house stood at attention or ducked out of the way when she in- dulged in one of her tantrums.
 "F'rec and Full Fiddlesticks !"
 Elizabeth Harrison raised her really fine eyebrows a trifle, and looked at her mother with no trace of confusion.
 Don't distress yourself, mother, dear" she said smoothly. "rhe chi- dren. especially Mary, have the dramatic instinct so strongly devel- oped that l always afford it free out let whenever possible. And our best edpcators, you know. consider the free and full development of chihd's mind to be of the utmost importance. am sure Margaret will be interested in the children's performance, as she has a little one coming on, whose dramatic instinct she will wish to have developed"
 It was the first recognition of my pres she had given. She was really superb in her smooth, apparently un- conscious insolence. I told myself, even as l made the grim resolve that if Juniors dramatic instincts took the form of destroying other peoples be- longings in so atrocious a fashion as the performance before me, his free and full development would be sud- denly and dramatically halted with the business end of a hickory switch.
 I opened my lips for a conventional greeting of my sister-in-law and an 1.N %~ L,,% mother-in-law gave me no chance to speak. I used to get angry at Mother Graham's little habit of relegating me to the extreme edge of the horizon and leaving me there, while she car ried on a discussion, but the years have brought me forbearance and a sense of humor. and l felt no rancor at her present dumping of me there especially as without meaning I am sure to champion me, she proceeded to give voice to my own street thoughts.
 "Strive For CaImness.''
 "Tree and full fiddlesticks .' she exploded contemptuously. Elizabeth, you always were fool on the sub ject of fads, but I never did expect to see a child of mine turn out to be such an absolute driveling idiot as you are in the training of these children. But l can tell you now,' I'm not too old to handle a switch, and I haven't forgotten how. So if you don't want some-well, you'd better get them out of here and washed up for supper. Mary, get up off that floor this in- stant."
 The command was like the snap of a whip, and Mary instantly obeyed, while her brothers scrambled down from the soft to huddle with their sister in evident wholesome fear of their grandmother
 Now. put everything in this room exactly as you found it,' the old mar f 7nr commanded, and as the children scurried to obey, Elizabeth rose ma !eslicaliy apparently unruffled by her mothers action. But her set smile was a trifle awry and l guessed that she was molten inside
 "Mother, dear" she cooed sWeetly, you really shouldn't agitate yourself in this way at your age. Always strive for calmness.'
 "Elizabeth :" He mother positive ly @sputtered in her wrath ''If you