The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-07

If there ever has occurred in all my
experience since Dicky and l We're
married a moment when 1 felt more
utterly perplexed. more unhappy over
a happening small in itself than I did
as I stood by the window of our house
at Marvin and beheld a taxi roll up
the driveway and deposit Dlcky's
mother a tour door, cannot now recall
it. There have been big happenings
which seemed TO clutch at the very
portals of my life, but never a small
one that so affected me.
Yet. was it small? At that instant I
felt it a veritable catastrophe. For Of
all times TO select to return from a
| long visit away from our home. Dicky's
mother had chosen the day when we
were almost ready TO move from our
old home into the new house we had
| bought. The house was a nightmare
TO one who prides herself upon good
hOusek Wping. To Dicky's mother il
would be something about which to
talk for years TO come, if ever she did
forget it.
The picture Of the living room in
which DiCky was sorting his "collec-
ton" of papers and magazines that lit
| tered every corner of the bare room
from which Katie. Jim and I had re-
Gently taken the furniture and rugs n
Dicks command TO remove them when
1 protested against the dangers they
presented to our most cherished be-
longings before. my eyes. Yet
there was nothing to be done. Mother
Graham was at the door and as I look
ed again, beside her stepped a wona n
whose bags and bundles in her hands
betokened a guest come to stay, per
haps a long time.
Mother Grahams sharp. incisive
voice flCated to my ears.
It's outrageous! I won't pay two
dollars for bringing US that short dis
lance from the station" Her voice
rose even higher as it warmed to her
wrath. Il don't care if you did bring
the two trunks and our bags. You can't
get more than a dollar out of me"
The woman with her must have
made some suggestion, for Mother
Graham turned on her angrily, but
strange to say this woman didn't re-
treat an inch; she must be a person of
determination of character, l reflected,
though she showed eager signs of de-
ferring to Mother Graham. Then what
the suggestion was came to me in its
complete statement of refusal:
NO, / won't let Dicky attend to him.
Dicky gives up like a lamb. Anybody
can walk over him in money matters,
and Madge-good graciOus.-don't ask
me to call either of them" She whirled
around on the taxi driver. whose face
now bore a puzzled appreciative look
in which a smile struggled with his
fast weakening determination to get
the price he had asked.
Here. young man." she held bill
out to him. Here's your dollar. Take
it or leave it, Call a policeman-call
the entire Marvin police force, I saw
him down by the station. But if you
take my trunks I'll have you. arrested
for trying to steal them"
The taxi drivers amusement con-
quered him. lie laughed outright
took the dollar, pocketed it, swung his
machine a dozen feet, pushed the
trunks from the stand beside his seat
and swept away. leaving Mother era
ham and her guest with their baggage
in picturesque confusion about them
triumphant perhaps, but open-mouth-
had had the last word"
I heard a giggle behind me. I turned
and there stood Katie almost leaning
against my shoulder. red-faced from
sitting her mirth so long. Before I
could reprove her or even draw her
back with me-for ]. too. had moved
closer to the window than I thought
Mother Graham turned. For the in
slant l didn't know whether she saw
us or not. for I pulled Katie back a.
quickly as l could. and gasped:
Run tell Mr. Graham TO come here
quickly Then l gripped her arm to
stop her from word of admonition
that my plans TO keep katie's secret
from what l feared would be the un-
sympathetic attention Of Dickys
mother until I had on opportunity to
tell ner myself. made necessary. "Ka-
tie, don't you answer the doorbell. Tell
Jim. also. to stay away. Now hurry!"
But Dicly had heard the last words
or was it that the higher pitched
note in my voice penetrated through
his absorption i'll his beloved "cOllec-
ton" amidst which he had been sit
ting reading and sorting? At any rate
he came into the room. Katie scurried
away.
whats up?" Dicky demanded anx-
iously.
A smile struggled through the gloom
that had overshad0wed my face. for
Dicky, Immaculate Dicky, who took
such pride in his appearance and never
permitted even his mother to see him