Show GIVEN IN MARRIAGE By ADELE GARRISON Madge Prepares Herself for a Definite Clash With Avis Arlen 1 I suppose suppose my face betrayed my astonished chagrin at hearing my ray mother laws voice over the telephone telephone telephone tele tele- phone for Hugh leaned toward me and md his lips formed the words What is it But I put up my hand in a quick agitated signal for silence and he sank back in his chair while I racked my brain for tor answers to the searching quiz I knew was coming It Is I Margaret mother I said Instinctively avoiding the diminutive Madge which she never has used in all the years of my marriage though no other person save my father calls calls' I me by the longer more dignified cog- cog nomen But the ruse availed me noth- noth ing ng Her voice was testy with annoyance annoyance an an- when she spoke again What are you doing away from home with that ankle Where are you Why are arc you telephoning CAPTIOUS MOTHER GRAHAM I might have been a child of ten 1 told old myself grimly but I am well used to my mother laws manner and realize that It is but a veneer over sterling qualities a kind heart beart and a very real affection for me Uness Unless Unless Un- Un less ess my nerves are very much frazzled frazzled frazzled fraz fraz- at the edges I never neer resent any any- thing hing she says and with the fear of upsetting her during this tense time of preparation for the marriage strong upon me I 1 pitched my voice to o an extremely conciliatory note I took Mrs Ticer down the road to Sag Harbor to telephone I The Bridgehampton telephones telephones tele tele- phones were out on account of a fire and we couldn't get the operator over ours before we left She probably was asleep or talking talking talk- talk ing ng with her best beau my mother mother- law in-law commented acridly The telephone telephone tel tel- ephone Is all right n now w. w So ISo I 1 see I returned cheerfully That's the reason I tried the phone just now because I thought it might not be permanently out of ot commis commis- sion Of course not she snapped but Id I'd like to know thou thought t it vias was necessary for you to play chauffeur to Mrs Ticer Weren't there enough men men- In the house PREENING HER FEATHERS Yes mother dear you know how busy everybody is today Really I Iam Iam am am the only useless one You are arc all so insistent that I shall not use my ankle that I feel like a fifth wheel as If I weren't needed at all My mother law gave a perfectly per audible over the telephone Why should you be needed she demanded I arranged parties and weddings before you were born and many times since The weddings n s of Marys Mary's mother and of ot her aunt Harnet Harriet Har Har- net riet were functions and I 1 planned and executed every bit ol of them I really think I 1 am capable of at carrying out the details of ot my own granddaughters granddaughter's wedding even If you are are arc laid up with a lame ankle I said soothing soothing- I know you are are are- ly Every Everybody bod Is remarking how wonderfully you are arc managing things I 1 could almost s see sec e her preen her feathers Well Welli Nothing is 15 dragging she t admitted and then she put a question question question ques ques- tion which I felt had some purpose behind it How do you ou feel Very well indeed thank you Then I wonder wh why you couldn't couldn keep on going to Southampton and see tee about those thoc boxes for the cake We ought to have a dozen more It seems Mary has promised Marion Marlon some for her friends at school to sleep on you on-you you know how foolish girls are we wont won't have e enough boxes tell you that they cant can't get them at this late hour but bu take no for an answer They I can get them all right especially if H you tell them you'll pay for any my telephone telephone telephone tele tele- phone messages necessary and for fora a messenger to bring them over So dont don't let them get out of it it I Ill do my best I promised meekly meek meek- ly remembering the story of the cub reporter who reported to his city editor edi tor that he had been kicked down the steps of a house where he had been sent to get a story Go right back the city editor thundered and tell them to give you that story Ill I'll show them they cant can't bluff blur me OFF TO MEET AVIS Best fiddlesticks my mother mother-in- law commanded You get those boxes All right I agreed thankful that I had put on my heavy motoring coat and taken my purse with me when I 1 took Mrs Ticer to The Larches to telephone Ill take Mrs Ticer home and then go on to Southampton Dont take time to stop at nt the thc house my mother-in-law mother directed Theres nothing here for you ou to do and the sooner you see about those cake boxes the better Every minute minute min rain ute is precious now Very well Ill I'll attend to every every- thing And its And its it's so nice I think Ill I'll drive on to that Hampton Bays Bas shop and sec see about a hat haL That means you'll be gone all the afternoon my mother law said shrewdly But theres there's nothing for you to do around here and the air will vill probably do you good But remember remember re reo re- re member dont don't take any nonsense from tho those people about those boxes Good The receiver clicked and I hung up my own with a smile at Hugh half hall rueful half halt relieved The Thc way of the transgressor has just been unexpectedly made easy I told him Continued tomorrow Copyright 1933 K F. 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