New Britain herald., 1923-06-12
The Way Madge Tried ia lsanish
 IeIla's Iealnms lear

I.sila's reaction Co my Rurnesell
 serid statements that she was thi
 greatest idiot ! knew, and that l haf
 wasted about thousand dollars
 weFth of sympathy on her, was al
 that l had planned,
 Resentment ast0nishmfnt and final ly distinct gleam 0f hare-the emo ton for which I had played fiittef across her face, and she sat n abruptly, the terror in her eyes d.
 minishing,
 "oh, Madge If you're right, ana I'm wrong, you may call me all th' names in the calendar and seala me as much as yon wish '''
 Her eycs held challenge which made me finch inwardly. for l knew that l had my work cut out 10 con, vince Leila that her husbands patent interest in Ress Dean was not serious That she had hrooded over the thins until she was scarcely sane concerns ing il. had realized when l heard her bitter cry of fear that little child was coming to her. knew that were she not horribly unhappy. she would have welcomed motherhood rapturously Now she was like q trapped wild creature. all because of her husbands folly, and Bess Deans ergegious vanity
 Purposely made my answer friv- oious ono. Her nerves had heen keyed to tragedy altogether too long. I intended to present my arguments 10 her in as fippant a manner as dared. and at the same time he able to convince her that was right in my estimate of the situation.
 "oh, Do Tell Me !"
 "r'll lay out the thesaurus." prom ised darkly. What I ought to do Is to find the mate of an old sailing ship and let him exercise his vocab- ulary. You're mighty reckless in giv- ing me the permission to maui you verbally. If I prove you wrong. for I'm now going to proceed to show you in words of one syllable that you haven't logical leg to stand on."
 4 reluctant smile quirked the cor ners of her mouth. and I indulged myself in little thrill of triumph. At least I had succeeded in lessening the mournful tension of her nerves.
 "Tn the first place." went on didactically, please remember that Bes Deans antics aren't new to me. I have seen her in action several times. when she had her eyes on Dicky, and I knew exactly what she means and doesn't mean. There's one thing certain. Bess Dean is no more in love with either Alfred or Dicky than she is with you or me, but if by any manner of means she could convince either of us that she was, and that her feeling was re- ciprocated, she would fairly hug her self with delighted vanity
 Are you sure?" Leila breathed.
 Absolutely I know her through and through She hasn't nearly as much emotion as an ordinary-sized codfish, but her vanity is so enlarged that it needs an operation performed upon it every now and then. Did I ever tell you of the eime when wielded scalpel on it?"
 No, Oh, do tell me :"
 Leila is Comforted
 With distinct qualm of conscience l at my own deed-for l abhor the relation of coniugal difficulty to third person. poured into Leila's attentive ears the story of Bess Deans actions while on her vacation at the Cosgrove home in the Catslill noun tains and my discovery as to Dicfy's real feelings toward her.
 Mentally. l humbly begged my pardon as l talked but consoed myself with the reflection that there was nothing really deroga- tory to Dicky in the story, anf be- sides. almost anything seemed justif- able if 1t lifted from Leila the despair which had swept her a few minutes before.
 That I had succeeded. partially. at least, l knew when I had finished my tale. and Leila, brighter more animated than she had been at any of the last A hours. ex- claimed with malicious gleefuness:
 "Oh What a come-uppance ! I wish I had been there to see it. But, Madge," slowly, because Dicky didn't care for her is no assurance that AL red doesn't. Dicky doesn't take any hing as seriously as Alfred does you snow."
 "No, l don't know" I returned ,hortly, for her naive assumption that Ter husband had Il stronger char lcter than mino made me ridiculous y resentful. They're very much llike--and like most other mcn--in king to listen to a bright entertain ng and good looking girl. You know, hat you and I both cannot help -