The Omaha morning bee., 1924-01-16
Adele Garrison
"My Husbands Love-
Were Made to Receive
the Children.

For the second time within o min
utes I found myself struggling with
an irrepressible desire for laughter.
| The idea that because Mother Gra-
ham had spoken kindly to Katie, and
because the girl had been emotionally
contrite In return. each had imagined
the other to be Ill, was too much for
my risibles. 1t would have been a dis.
aster If ! had laughed before my moth.
er-inlaw, but the control | had kept
over my lips vanished at katie's Woe
begone face, and sinking on the hay
NOW beside her. I threw dignity TO
the winds and laughed literally until
l cried. l realized that there was az
much OF relief from the nervous ten
sion Of the past few days In fly laugh
ter as there had been IN my mother.
in-law's tears when she had finally
yielded to them after her gallant bat
tie with her shock and grief over her
daughters death.
Katies frightened face, and her
hand upon my shoulder, stopped my
mirth az suddenly as it had started.
"Oh, Missis Graham. my dear
Missis Graham. vot ees matter NIT
your" she implored. Have you gone
crazy nit all de troubles? See! Katie
right here, | take care OF you"
My laughter muscles threatened
cd solicltude. but I compromised on
a smile which l meant to be reas-
suring
Don't worry. Katie, I'm all right.
Let me tell you at what / was laugh.
ing, and then you'll know I'm not
sick"
Ordinarily. I would not have taken
the girl into my confidence, but I
saw that she not only was unstrung.
but thoroughly alarmed about me,
and frankness was the only possible
remedy for the situation. Therefore
| told her of my reasons foe. mirth,
and she listened in wide-eyed amaze
ment which changed to equally wide
smiles by the time / had finished.
dot awful foony," she comment
ed at last. Il think old woman's dy-
ing ven she nice by me. she tink I
seeck ven I nice by her. Veil, tink
We must be beeg cranks bot IL We
make mistake like dot. But I glad
old womans not die anyway. She
Goot egg. IL she ees hard boiled"
/ stared at Katie in the amazed
amusement l always feel at her ludi.
crous adaptations of American slang
to her own uses. BY all the canons
OF discipline l should hate repri-
manded her for her impudent refer
ehce TO Mother Graham, but tho years
have taught me tho wisdom OF COM
promise where Katie's vagaries are
concerned, especially when there Ii a
domestic crisis at hand where I need
her skill and enthusiasm. So I con-
tented myself with a hurried Come
Katie. We must go into the house. II
Is cold out here
She sprang up from her seat in
the hay. and hsid out her hand TO
me.
'Eet don't matter about me-" she
said. brushing the hay from my skirt.
But eef you get shilly und take
cold. cooming out here, looking after
bad girl like me, ! nefer forgive
myself. L 20 keel myself nit rope"
] made no reply save an indulgent
smile to this piece OF extravagance,
but Katie hurried me to the house
as though her life depended on her
speed, and seized the tea kettle bub-
bling upon the stove as noon a. she
entered the kitchen.
sit right down here qveek." she
said anNously. vile I make you hot
cup Of tea. Eet Won't take but sec
ond."
Il can't, Katie" said regretful
ly. Mother Graham is waiting for
me to come back. and II I don't hurry
she will get up before the room Is
thoroughly warmed"
I'm just honing TO Pe the goat
for something or somebody" Lillian
Interrupted, coming into the kitchen.
I'll 10 up and keep Mother Graham
down until you get through your
tea IL have to dance the Highland
Fling to amuse her"
She was as good as her word, al
though 1t was the rhythm Of her
voice. the dance OF her ideas. which
kept my mother.in-law absorbed so
that when refreshed by katies excel
lent tea I went upstairs. she did not
know | was in the room for several
seconds after my entrance.
Marion is a wonderful child" she
was saying as I slipped in unob-
served ITO think or her planning TO
take Mary into her own bed so that
tho child might be less lonesome.
When you remember what Mary did
TO her that summer. too"
Fortunately children's memories
arc short" Lillian rejoined. but !
hope Marion would not let such n
remembrance stand in the way of a
kindness"
Indeed she wouldn't" Mother
Graham said warmly. for Iilllan's
adorable young daushter is a favor
lite Of hers. but ! imagine Mary is
sharing a bed with little Roderick.
He's tho baby. you know. and will
miss his mother more than any OF
thcm.'
II fancy Roderick ~ being royalty |
cared for, /TillIan interposed quiet
ly, and her glance at me as | came |
forward to the bed told me that she
shared my vision Of childless Harriet |
ErnithNnite euddling close her dead |
sisters child