The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-16
Why Mother Graham Wants to
Know"

Know"
In the heat of my anger at Cousin
Agatha I had fully meant what said
TO her concerning my indifference to
her revealing any part Of the tempest
uous interview we had just concluded.
But after she had scuttled from my
room like a frightened rabbit, and !
came face to face with a remorseful
realization of some Of the things !
had said to her, l began TO fear miser-
ably that she might take me at my
word
My mother in laws certain anger 1
was not afraid to meet. / had already
braced myself for a scene with her
upon the subject of Katie, and the
knowledge Of my alteration with her
cousin, even should Cousin Agatha
choose to tell her. could not add much
more unpleasantness to the interview.
But as I visualized the look Of an
CRY contempt which would come into
Dicky's face if he learned that / had
practically ordered his mothers cou-
sin from the house, my heart sank. !
knew that to Dicky the provOcation
that I had received-Cousin Agatha's
outrageous treatment Of poor Katie
would be no excuse al all for the treat
ment l had accorded his kinswoman.
Dicky has very high ideals OF the
treatment due a guest, even an unwel-
come one, while beneat hhis roof. They
are ideals which I had always shared.
Ny departure from them would be no
more a surprise to my husband than
it was to myself.
And yet, the hateful personality Of
the woman whom I had requested TO
leave my house as soon a s possible
kept me from fully regretting my in
temperate tone and language. l was
torn between two impulses, one, to
rush after Cousin Agatha, beg her par
don and ask her to remain with us as
long as she wished; the other, to re
main firm in the position l had taken.
The thing which troubled me most
in my remembrance of my interview
with my husbands kinswoman was
the suspicion l had that katies
wrongs alone, no matter how much
they might have aroused my righteous
indignation, would not have prompted
all the things l said to Cousin Agatha.
Her interference with my household,
her ruthless treatment of my faithful
little maid, were but the elimination
of a series Of incidents which had
Overwhelmingly borne in upon me the
knowledge that my wishes, my very
personality were being disregarded,
not only by my husband, but by his
relatives. The conviction was slowly
coming to me that had rather taken
conscience troubled me sorely, even
though I knew she richly deserved
even more drastic treatment than l
had given her.
A familiar knock u the door made
me hastily dry my eyes with much the
feeling of one wishing TO make the
best appearance possible on the scat
fold. I knew that my mother in
laws knuckles were on the door. and
l feared that the Walls Of her wrath
were only waiting her uncOrking to
empty their contents upon my head.
Her first words on opening the door
bore out my fears.
"Will anybody tell me what is the
NATTER" she demanded irascibiy.
First, I see Katie dashing from the
door of the room where / left her
with Agatha, as If a whole menageric
was chasing her. She was sobbing and
crying in that noisy way OF hers as if
she'd lost her husband. And then a
couple of minutes ago Agatha, who
had left me saying she Mas going down
stairs, rushes back, promptly begins
to weep a river or two OF salty tears
and tumbles into bed with one of her
headaches"
She stopped short, swung me to the
light and scrutinized my face closely.
You've been crying, too" she as
serted and her tone softened, incredi-
bly, to me, with the words. Here
child" She pulled a rocking chair
nearer me and pushed me into it gen
tIy. I think I'd better look into this"
7 could hardly believe my ears and
eyes. My grabbed, naughty mother
in-law, instead of railing at me, was
almost petting me. / was so lonely
without my own mother. so wishful
for the love and comradeship Of the
mother of my husband that I felt
sudden poignant regret for my treat
ment of her cousin. I feared that
when she knew the truth her unusual
kindness of manner would vanish.
But her next words gave me a CLEAN
Of hope.
"Of course Agathas been meddling,"
she said She's been deing that ever
since she was in baby clothes I'm
not sorry that you squelched her IL
she began on your affairs too soon.