The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-09-07
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE
Why The "othsr Mrs. Graham"
Interested.
~ ADELE GARRISON.

| Although I don't like the phrase
1.-The prey OF mixed emotions" it GER
| tainly is descriptive of my feeling
when, upon looking at the photograph
of 1.-The other Mrs. Graham's' soldier
son, realized that my fantastic ina
ginations were all the merest moon
shine that Capt. Hugh Grantland was
Capt. Grantland stu, and as much
as fascinating a mystery as ever.
Relief-that was the predominant
feeling-relief that my hostess had
not the faintest linking of the absurd
| theory with which had looked at the
photograph of her son and his family.
was relieved also-but the feeling
was one of which I wasn't particular
ly proud-to find that the wounded
officer had not given me a false i'm
preston, that he was in all probabili-
ty what he had signifled in his graph
ic word picture-"poor devil with no
home to speak Of"
Chagrin-nay,, more, humiliation
was also my portion. To think that
I had allowed myself to carry my ro-
mantle interest in the wounded officer
to so ridiculous a climax!
! am no coward, and 1 faced some
thing in my own soul which I knew
! must be burned out with caustic
when should have the leisure for in
trospecuon. The indeflnavle emotion
which has swept over me at the casual
words of my hostess. his wife and lit
tie girl" startled me from the com
placency with which I had viewed
my schoolgirlish hero worship Of the
wounded young officer.
"6y a Coincidence"
felt my cheeks burning with shame
at my own folly. the while I pretended
to study the photograph. I knew that
I must say something concerning it
to the fond and proud mother before
me, but for a long paralyzed instant
my lips and tongue refused to perform
their function.
What a rarely beautiful child" I
exclaimed at last. intuitively feeling
that a remark of that sort would be
the surest means of turning a doting
grandmothers attentions from my
self.
Yes, isn't she?" she returned en-
Enthusiastically. and then indeed, 1 had
time to recover myself, for the other
Mrs, Graham" launched at once into
a description OF her little grand
daughters grace, beauty and wit
which occupied sufficient number OF
minutes to enable me fully to recover
my poise,
How I do rattle on about winI-
tred!" she said with a little embar-
raised laugh. Really, 1 don't mean
to compel you to listen to eulogy,
Mrs. Graham, but"
you have abundant Justification"
7 returned promptly. I should rave
about her, also. if she were any reIa-
ton to me. And her name is SO
pretty also-Winifred- have always
loved it."
It's her mothers" the other Mrs.
Graham explained. And my sons
wife is as beautiful in person and in
character as her name" she added
Loyalty.
BY coincidence it is a name COM
mon on our side also, so all Of the
in-laws' are satisfied. My own
niece, a girl whom dearly love, is
named Winifred. BY the way, per-
haps you remember my asking you
the other day at which hospital you
had been? I was so afraid after
ward you would think my abruptness
peculiar
"Her Name Is"
Yes, I remember" heard myself
saying family, My thoughts mad all
gonehying on a thousand different
surmises again, What possible con-
neotion could there be beween this
beloved niece, Winifred, and my expe-
risnoe at the hospital? Yet that there
was a connection and that a vital one,
a sudden psychic premonitien told me.
1T was because" my hostess went
on, providentially not noticing my
face, that Winifred is a nurse in the
Mineola Hospital. Perhaps you han
pened to see her while you were there,
although I happen to know that her
patient for the last week or two has
been a man. I'll show you her pho
tograph."
She rose, disappeared in the next
room, and in anothe rmoment was
back again with another photograph.
that Of a woman in a nurses uniform,
I did not need the quick look 7 gave
it to know the truth, or to hear the
words the girls aunt was saying:
Her name is Winifred Hoyt."
The girl, or rather the woman. whose
photograph I held in my hand was the
same one who had nursed Capt. Hugh
GrantIand,
With quick awakening to my own
folly OF the past two weeks-which
save such a contretemps az
this could have given me-I realized
IN an instant that far rather would I
have had my fret absurd theory JUS
titled than have TO have had this
thing happen.
Miss Hoyt. the calm, sweet-faced
young woman. in whom recognized
a clear resemblance TO the older
woman facing me. was Of ell persons
tae one cared least TO see again.