New Britain herald., 1929-12-26

Quiet" Ercning at tho Farm
 house
 As the rap of the cane soundSd from the floor above, Dicky glanced at me with a look in which con- stor1ation was mingled with relief, We knew very well what the rap portended. It was a signal from Mother Graham summoning one or us to her room to account for some annoyance to her dignity or her caprice.
 l. was easy. of course. to guess the reason for her present dis pleasure. From the loud speaker ot the radio was proceeding the blare 0. the jazzlest of dance tunes with a volume that could have been heard at the Ticer farmhouse down tho road. That none of the boys had heard the rapping was evident. Henry was hanging over the radio dials lovingly while William. the older boy, had sprung up and pat ently forgetting his first restraint 1T meeting us was going through an elaborate dane step by himself. -,s for Junior and Roderick, ever since dinner they had been established n {. far corner Of the living room. manipulating several mechanical toys which had survived from birth day and preceding holiday celebra- tions. Near them my father sat >'nder reading lamp, eyeglasses on nose. evening paper in his hand. He vas apparently obliNious to every thing else but l had seen his fr3- quent quiet glances toward the two small boys so intent upon their play. and knew that he was keeping strict supervision over his beloved grandson and his new playmate. Just what he expected Roderici would do l could not imagine. but l knew that he possessed the grana- fatherly obsession that Junior could dc no wrong, and I dreaded having any alteration arise between tha two small lads. I feared that neither my father nor my mother-in- law even though Roderick vas also her grandson-coul be fair in any con- troversy between the children.
 Either my father was not dis turbed by the jazz, or was deter mined to ignore it or the rapping of Mother Graham upon the floor above. Kather'nA wac upstairs at tending to Noel. Mary had escaped to her own room after dinner, so Dicky and I knew that one of us must answer that summons.
 "WilI You Coz"
 "I guess we're holding the bag. old dear" Dicky muttered as ne walked over to me and bent down 80 that I could hear him above the noise Will you go, or shall l? ?'
 It was on my lips 10 tell him that 1t was certainly his place to answer his own mothers call concerning an annoyance perpetratcd by his own nephew. Then l caught a glimpse of a familiar expression in his eyes, 3 sort of little boyish appeal for aid. I knew that above anything else !e hated to meet his mother when she " dS III d tdpblOuo i'Oou' oi'A NULL not count the times when l have taken the brunt of her wrathful -rood upon myself in order 10 spare him the ordeal.
 . "Tll go. if you like" I told him. "I suppose it's about the nois,, What shall I tell her" Do you mean to stop it before I go up'"
 Indeed I do not" Dicky set his lips obstinately. "It's perfectly . hideous, of course, but it's the kids first night here, and he's having a perfectly corking time with it-both of them are. Of course, If she says it bothers her. I'll have to stop t. hut I'm not going to do it until she sends down the order. Maybe you can fix up some sort of com promise with her-you're generally pretty lucky at handling her. And don't think I tail to appreciate this, old girl. You're one bully scout sweetheart"
 The last word was a whisper, punctuated by a surreptltloNs squeeze Of my hand Woman-like 1t fully repaid me for my assent 10 Dicky's plea for my aid in dealings with his mother It did more, 1t made me ashamed Of the momen- tary impul1e 10 captiousness had eXncrirnced-A1d con0uercd.
 hurried out Of the room. waiting only to giNN Dic&H's hand an ocstatic grip. 1 knew what his motlO- CTS impatieuca would be al any real Or apparent disregard Of her sum- uons and was not surprised 70 meet her at the head Of the stairs. majestically preparing 10 descend.
 Did VOL near me hnoch"" sao demanded.
 oh yes. Mother" answered iu- noccntly "What is it yon wish? ?"
 Sho drew back step and foldal her arms with 4 gesture that would have become au ancient queen.
 Are you a5 idiotic as that qucs- ton indicates, or are you by any "Ganco making fun Of nc"" she de Landed.
 Mother Graham Acts
 "I certainly am not making fu1 You. ,foIhor.' I said. seizins tha easiest horn of the dilemma
 She gave me a piercing Slanca.
 'I never have known you to na absolutely lacking in mentality" she commented acidly, but this ger tainly looks like it. What is ti:1t awful noise down5tairs?' ?'
 explained Dicky's desire 10 'et his uephews ,njoy themselves, but she stopped me midway.
 "Fiddlosticks" she said Co down and tell them to shut off that radio at once. Or, TO- you're to0 Authenticated I'll go myself"