New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-04-16
Why Madge Wondered What Was
Troubling Leila

When Dieky had disclosed his dc,
termination not TO have ANY more
of this melodramatic business in his
life, and had ended our ehat-~whleh
had begun with such charming pos
sihilities--I sat stunned for several
minutes after he had gone into the
bedroom and I heard him lie down for
the forty winks he had promised him
self,
recalled the fact that hardly one
minute before he had made his state
ment SO emphatieally TO me, ] had
wondered when my Peter Pan would
grow up The answer had come more
swiftly than had thought possible,
and with an amazing directness and
defniteness which left me breathless
With the spell OF Dicky's command
strong upon me. / walked TO the desk,
picked up the postcard, tore 1t once
across, and then stopped,
What it was that held my hand l
do not know, Indeed. so immersed
was / in my own notwithstanding
TO solve the perplexing emphasis OF
Dicky's command, for ] regarded II
as nothing less--that with the desire
TO keep my hands busy, set about
dressing. And 1t was not until ! was
robed in the evening frock which
Dicky had extrayagantly insisted on
buying for me one afternoon we had
seen it In the salon of an ultrasmart
coutouriere together, that again be-
gan to take clear interest in my sur
roundings.
"Ayast There, Young Man -
Somehow the burnt orange char
meuse seemed to soothe me the in
slant / took 1t out of the closet-tip-
toeing that while not to wake Dicky,
who patiently was deep in dreamland
and when I had donned my flesh
colored stockings and had drawn
upon my feet my new black and
silver brocade slippers and had slipped
into that Cinderella dress, I felt IN
deed as though Dicky's sweetness Of
the day he had bought the costume
for ME was acting the part of the
Fairy Godmother to checkmate tho
Wicked Stepmother his latest mood
had played.
Yet my hesitation at waking Dicky
and helping him to dress--made nee |
essary by my last-minute calling OF |
him out of sympathy for his evident |
exhaustion being exercised by sleep
kept us both rather quiet until i
slipped on my wrap. A lovely example |
of the costumer's art, my wrap har-
monized and yet ideally contrasted
with my Cinderella dress. 1t was a
petalled cape of black and white
chiffon with a deep fold of chinchilla
close about my throat,
which by its luxurious daintiness
served to keep me far warmer than
Its fragile appearance promised.
Silently, Dicky locked the door of
our little apartment while / waited
for him at the head of the old fash
Toned stairs. And as silently we
walked down to the taxi whose pres
ence at the curb had been heralded
by special signal ring at our bell
But as we stepped out into the street
another taxi whirled up and out
leaped Alfred Durkee. who almost
collided with Dicky as we crossed to
our waiting car.
Hello. old skeesicks !" Aft ex-
claimed. 10 Madge Wow, you
knock me for the count with that"
"Avast, there young man - Dicky
sternly interposed. Lay off my lady
yours"
An Interrupted Confidence
in that gorgeous chariot painting
forninst you, there" Aft twinkled at
Dicky. Behold her now--though
you can't hear her for the resounding
clatter of the taxi-meter counting up
The dreaded signalling with her
on the glass to Madge to
hurry there
Wait till / fee and dismiss my
own coach and four" said Dicky
and we'll climb in with you"
And as l left them chatting each
other and heard the chauffeur of our
unused car volubly thank Dicky for
what / well knew was an inordinate
lip, I caught Leila's greeting. though
t was carefully modulated for my
cars alone:
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