New Britain herald., 1924-01-25
Mother Graham Pursued the Course Marked Out

.'Well . all things considered, you managed very well. Edwin" my mother-in-law commented with a delicious. patronizing little note in her voice. Possession is nine-tenths of the law, you know"
 Thank you" her big son-in-law replied, with q sly wink at Diclly, who, I guessed, really had done all the work in connection with his mothers demands. But for some reason, known only to herself picky temporarily was in her bad graces, and nothing he could do or say would please her.
 T wish I could be sure of that, Dr. Braithwaite went on, n troubled look on his face. But William sur sived Elizabeth, remember that. His family have the prior claim to the administration of the property and the guardianship of the chil- dren.
 Who cares about the property" Mother Graham retorted. "Le 'em handle that if they want to. It must be saved for the children's education, anyway. and whatever else you may say about the Har- of money"
 'I'l remark they do." Dicky struck in flirrantly. That's the only line they have"
 Tt would be better for the rros- poets of your son If you possessed little of the same line" his mother said witheringly.
 "Oh. fancy Junior has as much chance of going through college as the Harrison children have" Dicky retorted lottily. Their relatives on tue paternal side do not believe in higher education for either girls or boys"
 An Exchange of Compliments
 But they cant prevent these children from going if wa provide the money for it." his mother said. .If you'd get down to work instead of running to every dinner some fool of q publisher gives an author or the other way around, you could earn enough extra money in a year to send all four of 'em through col lsge."
 .'Thank you. mother mine. for so tall \ compliment" her son answered. but there was a distinctly piqued note in his voice, for Dicky. I have reason to know. is not at all dispieased over the fact that his illustrations are steadily growing in popularity, and feels. as temperamenial workers are apt to do. that he is already working far harder than he should. But his mother paid no attention 10 anything beyond tho surface meaning of his answer.
 "Yon needn't thank me for any thing she snapped. Its the truth and you know if. and I want you io get up some ambition now that these poor children are on our hands ! dare say Harriet and Edwin would he willing to help us with their edn- cation. 1T WIG couldn't manage it alone."
 She was so plausible, so abso- lntely convincing in her assumption that she was the sole guardian of the Harrison children's future that ] wondered if had dreamed of her plan to arouse her daughters ob- stinacy to the point where she would stick at nothing to obtain the sole possession of her dead sisters chil- dren. But when l caught the sly, shrewd look which she shot at Har- riet as she finished l knew that I was fully awake, and observing as pretty a piece Of feminine chicanery as one would wish 10 witness.
 Harriet's Outburst
 Harriet had been standing erect as her mother talked, with only an occasional light trapping of her foot against the floor 10 betray her ris- ing anger. Now. however. I saw her suddenly tear apart delicate em-