The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-10
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y
should have attempted to define the
effect upon him of all this generosity
OF emphasis. He said that the way
she used her cute hazel eyes and the
wonderful glow of her facial express
sion gave her a mighty spiritual quail
ity." His actual rendition of the word
was 'spirichul'; but it was not his
pronunciation that embaimej this
Outburst i'm the perennial laughter Of
Ahce's girl friends; they made the
misfortune far less his than hers
Her mother cOmforted her too heart
lily. insisting that Alice had plenty
enough spiritual qualities" certainly
more than possessed by other girls
who flung the phrase at her, wooden
things. jealous Of everything they
were incapable Of themselves; and then
Alice. getting more championship
than she sought, grew uneasy lest
Mrs. Adams should repeat such de-
lenses outside the family; and Mrs.
Adams ended by weeping because the
daughter so distrusted her intelligence.
Alice frequently thought il necessary
to instruct her mother.
Her morning greeting was an in
strUction today; or, rather. it was an
admonition in the style OF an entreaty.
the more petulant as Alice thought
that Mrs. Adams might have had a
glimpse Of the pOsturng 10 the mirror.
This was needless worry: the mother
had caught a thousand such Climpses.
with Alice unaware. and she thought
nothing of the one just fitted.
For heavens sake. mama come
clear inside the room and shut the
door, Please don't leave it open for
everybody to look at me-,
There isn't anybody TO see YOU,
Mrs. Adams explained. obeying. Miss
Perry's gone downstairs. and
Mama, I heard You i'm papa's
room" Alice said, not dropping the
note of complaint. 81 could hear botn
of you, and I don't think Won ought
to get poor old papa 50 upset-uot i'm
his present condition. anyhow"
Mrs. Adams seated herself on the
edge Of the bed. He's better all the
time" she said. not disturbed. He's
almost well. The doctor says so and
Miss Perry says so; and if We don't
get him into the right frame of mind
now we never viii. The first day he's
outdoors he'll 80 back to that old
hole-youu see. And if he once does
that, he'll settle down there and it'u
be too late and weu never get him
out"
We'll, anyhow, I think you could
use a little more tact with him"
Il do try to-" the mother sighed.
1t never was much use with him.
don't think YOU understand him as
we'll as I do, Alice"
There's one thing I don't under
stand about either Of YOU Alice re
turned, crisply. Before people get
married they can do anything they
want 10 with each other Why cant
they do the same thing after they've
married? When you and papa were
young people and engaged, he'd have
done anything you " -uted him 10.
That must have been because YOU
knew how to manage him then. Why
can't you go at him the same way
now?"
Mrs. Adams sighed again. and
laughed a little making no other re
Spouse: but Alice persisted. We'll
why cant you? Why cant you ask
him to do things the way you used TO
ask him when you We're Just in love
with each other? Why don't you any
how try it, mamma, instead Of ding
longing at him."
Sc Ding-donging at him. Alice2'
Mrs. Adams said. with q pathos some
what emphasized. rs that how my
trying TO do what I can for you
strikes your
Never mind that; its nothing TO
hurt your feelings" Alice disposed
Of the pathos briskly. why don't
you answer my question? What's
the matter with using a little more
tact on papa? Why can't you treat
him the way you probably did when
YOU were young people, before you
were married? I never have under
stood why people cant do that"
Perhaps you Will understand some
day." her mother said. gently. May
be you viii when you've been married
twenty-five years"
You keep evading. Why don't you
answer my question right straight
out?"
There are questions YOU can't
answer to young people, Alice"
You mean because were too
young to understand the answer? I
don't see that at all. At twenty-five
a girls supposed to have some inteIH-
gence, isn't she2 And intelligence is
the ability to understand, isn't it?
Why do I have 10 wait till I've lived
with man twenty-five years to I'M
derstand why you can't be tactful
with papa?"
You may understand some things
before that" Mrs. Adams said
TREMENDOUSLY. You may understand
how you hurt me some times. Youth
can't know everything by being in
telIgent, and by the time YOU could
understand the answer you're asking
for you'd know it. and wouldn't need
to ask. You don't understand your
father, Alice; You don't know what
It takes to change him when he's
made up his mind To be stubborn"
Alice rose and began to get herself
into a skirt We'll. I don't think
making scenes ever changes any
body" she grumbled. Il think a lit
tie Jolly persuasion goes twice as far
myself"
4 little Jolly persuasion" Her
mother turned the echo Of this phrase
into an ironic lament Yes. there
was a time when I thought that too.
1t didn't work; that's all"
Perhaps you left the Jolly part
Of 1t out, mamma