South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-21
THE WAY MOTHER GRAHAM
LET GO" WITH KATIE
AND JUNIOR.

was not long left in doubt as to
my mother-in-law's reaction 90
Juniors baby temper. From the
other side OF my closed door 1 heard
the wrathful sniff which presases
explosive tears with her, and then a
snarling command:
Katie, get 10 your work this ill.,
slant"
There was so much concentrated
anger in her voice that I fancy even
Katie was intimidated. At any rate,
the sulen note IN her voice was re-
placed by a timorous one:
Il not know we're you want me q
begin"
Begin, Begin!" Mother Graham's
voice rose in cre1cendo. Begin
with the cobwebs. Fasten a clean
flannel cloth around your broom. ana
get them down from every ceiling
and wall. Then come to me IN MIR.
Graham's room I'm going 10 give it
a thorough cleaning. 1t hasn't been
touched since ne went away"
"Mlssis Graham she say Meester
Garham no like his room feeXed
oop." From the sound of Katie's
voice I knew that she had turI ed
back from the door 10 defend lie,
though she had suffered to pass IN
silence the renewed challenge of the
cobwebs.
I am not interested in Mrs. Gra-
hams opinions" my mOtherin-law
said loftily. But L certainly shall
take the privilege Of attending to my
sons room"
knew only too well the sentence
she left unspoken because her innate
good breeding would not permit her
to criticise me openly before a SER
want. Poor Richard"
This was its burden, I knew, for
she had elaborated upon the motif
silently and orally ever since I had
married her son. I wonder some
times if all mothers-in-law sing tie
same strain. Then / lay bare ny
own love for Junior with a conscience
scalpel, and fear that when l am Is
old as she l shall be every bit aS
captious toward the woman whom
my boy chooses.
This prescience of the future, how
ever did not prevent me from hotiy
resenting her sighting reference 10
me, and 1 could not help a meanly
triumphant little feeling when Jun
ior evidently resenting being ignor-
ed spoke again, still more dcfinant-
ly:
GO way, Danzie. You naughty.
Need good banking"
His tone was so imatative Of his
grandmothersy in her occasional
structures upon his discipline that
hastily stuffed my handkerchief into
my mouth to smother the laugh
which otherwise would have been
audible through my closed door. But
his grandmother was in anything
but a laughing mood.
ooh! Grandma"
Richard Second" she said in an
awful voice, don't you ever dare 10
speak that way to me again"
Temper begets temper, among the
Grahams, at least. and Junior
promptly proved his inheritance.
With a stamp of his baby foot, clear
~ audible 10 me, he shouted at the
top Of his voice:
"Dooner will say it again, viii say
It again! Danzie bad! Go away.
Need good panking!"
There followed a quick rustic OF
garments, the swift impact of a hand
against soft flesh, a piercing, sur
prised wall from Junior, and a gasp
ing. Mortified little cry: "Oh. Grand
ma" from Marion.
l guessed only too we'll what hal
happened UnnerVed and anSeCed,
my mother-in-law had reverted tor
an instant TO the sterner disciple
nary methods OF her own young
motherhood and had slapped her
idoliZed grandson.
It was the first real slap the chIld
had ever received. I have lightly
slapped his hands. and with equal
mildness spanked his sturdy little
legs when such baby crimes as
straying into the automobile road
way and pulling the kittens tail
would WELD to no other treatment.
BIT this was a singing little blow
to many children. alas, "A common