The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-10-12
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE
How Cousin Agatha UnconseiousIy
Aided Madse.
BY ADELE GARRISON


that would not be disturbed while |
reading the note which the japanese
servant Of the mysterious mon next
door had slipped into my hand in such
stealthy fashion, I knew that to enlist
her aid was the surest means of at
tanning my end.
She was sitting by the window look
ing out into the side lawn where my
perennial plants, transplanted a few
weeks before from the old Brennan
place, were just beginning to show
their first blossoms. Cousin Agatha, a
hook of poems in her hand, was sitting
near her and evidently had been read
ing aloud. Cousin Agatha's reading
voice is an anomaly. 1t is entirely
different from her speaking voice,
which, with its martyr-like whine,
usually makes the cold chills run up
and down my back. But put book
into Cousin Agatha's hand and her
cadences become musical, delight to
the ear.
Neither woman looked up as en-
tered. 1t is a. discourteous little Gus
tom common to both of them when a
member of the Immediate family or
servant comes into the room. Even
Dicky is not always exempt, although
both women generally show him more
courtesy than they do me.
Mother Graham Remembers"
I have found so many sterling quail
tiles in my mother in-law that have
ceased to remark the little custom or
lack of it in her. But l always resent
it at the hands of her cousin, for
always fancy there is something spec
tally marked in her studious ignoring
of my presence until I have spoken to
her.
do you know, Margaret, I believe
your columbines and sweet williams
are going to do very nearly as we'll as
they did over at the other place." my
mother in-law remarked as I crossed
the room toward her. / was feline
enough to ignore the presence Of Cous-
in Agatha to the same degree that she
ignored mine.
That's due to him." returned. with
grateful remembrance of the way in
which Katie's husband had worked
over the transplanting of my favorites.
Don't you remember the big balls of
earth he took with each plant?"
st remember that I directed him ex-
actly how to do it," retorted my moth
er-in-law tartly, and had hard work
to repress a smile, for Jim had trans
planted the perennials before we
moved our furniture, and the day he
did the work was one antedating by
nearly a week the day of my mother
| in laws return home.
But I knew better than to contradict
her. She wasn't deliberately dishonest
in claiming credit for directing Jims
work. But her habit of thought was
distinctly arrogant, and she had been
for many years the absolute dictator
of her daughters household.
I knew she really believed that no
delicate task either was or could be
done without her assistance.
"Then I ought to thank you" I re-
piled automatically, "and ] shall GER
tainly remember the process if ever
have any transplanting done again
For they are surely blooming in royal
fashion.
"out With It."
A little gratified smile twitched the
corners of my mother-in-law's mouth
and I thanked my stars that dan
gerous corner had. been rounded safely
But I reekoned without the quiet
lmalice of Cousin Agatha She gave a
dry little laugh, then quickly affected
Ito smother it. Her cousin looked UP
sharply.
what are you cackling about?'
she demanded.
Nothing" Cousin Agatha returned
demurely.
"Fiddlesticks!" returned my mother
lin-law. you always mean mischief
when you smoker like that. can re-
member your doing it when we played
dolls together. Out with it,"
81 was simply amused" Cousin
Agatha drawled with seeming reluct-
ance, although I knew that she was
simply bubbling with eager, malicious
mischief inside, ito hear dear Mar
garet chime in so readily with your
statement that you directed Jim how
tn set those plants, when I distinctly
remember your looking at the bed
when we first came over here and il
inouiring who did them and how they
had been done.
She dropped her eyes to her bool
again, and I could cheerfully have
slapped the smugness from her visag'
when saw the gray pallor of humilia
Ition steal across my mother in -law''
face. The elder Mrs. Graham is ONT
of the proudest women 1 know. 1t il
her besetting sin. To be proved wronl
is a tragedy to her. To realize ,as sh'
did in that moment of eniightment
THAT I had been humoring her in {
.. ide1usion as I would a child, must have
been gall and worm wood to her.
fairly trembled in my shoes as
stood waiting, wondering what sh'
> would do or say. fully expected tina
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