The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-07-30
Love, the All-Conquering

my father and mother. | felt tina
| was selfish. Of course, | lovet
them. But l had been away from
them so long, and at such an impor
tant time in my development, that :,
had few thoughts in common. Faith
er was interested in his profession
and in golf; mother in her clubs ant
church work. Both were devoted u
their children and their home. l
on the other hand, was interested II
many things of which they knew only
vaguely. had youth and energy foI
which, in our little town, l found nc
outlet.
| do not think mine was an excep.
tional case. 1t is a sad thing, but
young people do grow away from
their fathers and mothers. The
younger generation, especially wher
the formative years have been spent
away at school, finds it irksome tc
conform to family restrictions. I'm.
Iatience on the part of the sons and
daughters, grief on the part of the
fathers and mothers, seem to be par;
of the law of life. Even now when
can look back and see that I was
selfish and cruel as only youth can be
do not find it in my heart to blame
myself altogether. Where, pcay
would the world be, if youth did not
aspire; if it were not restless and
impatient of restraint?
But | do blame myself for one
thing. did not try to become part
of the life around me. l might have
had certain independence and hap
piness in Union Center. But |
would not have them. Because ]
could not do as l wished to do. re-
fused to make the best things. |
was not sullen. But then it is not
my nature to be sullen. l don't think
| voiced my dissatisfaction often,
What | did do, was to draw within
myself. Father and mother delighted
in having young people in the house.
Rose had been the belle Of the town
un to the day of her marriage, and
Alice had always had troop of boys
and girls from high school around
her.
Informal dances and picnic parties
on the lawn and impromptu suppers
around the library fire on winter even
ings had made our house gay. Then
my sisters went away and | cine
home and declined every invitation
sent me and refused to entertain at
all.
When mother gave party | al
ways appeared, of course, and now
and then | graciousfy consented to
make few calls with her on old
friends of the family. But after my
little group at college, the girls of the
town seemed frivolous and stupid to
me. | wonder what | seemed to
them? A snob, probably. | was
that-at least | was an intellectual
snob.
There was really nothing for me to
do at home. Mother had always
been a famous housekeeper and our
maids had been with us for years, so
there were no household duties for
me. | insisted upon caring for ~
own room. although I hated sweeping
ard dusting But | felt | had to have
some one thing to do each day. Most
Of my time l spent in reading, in tax
ing long tramps or in writing to Phoe-
be and the other girls.
At rare intervals there would be a
play in town which interested me.
But for one who prided herself on be-
ing "highbrow" there were few things
worthy of endorsement. | went to
one concert because father and moth
er seemed to expect me 70 go. Af-
ter | expressed my opinion of 1T,
thew never asked me to go again. Yet
| was passionately fond of music.
For a year l did not see Phoebe or
anv of the girls for whom | had cared
most at college, but when June came
round again, | went back to the dear
old campus for two weeks. Many OF
the girls had come back for the first
reunion. We had dinners and picnlcs
and drives and, best of all, good long
talks with each other. 1t was inter
esting to be one of the "old grads.
Phoebe came on for three days only
"But never mind, Peggy dear" she
said to me, you're coming home with
me for a real visit. l just couldn't
get away from the shop for longer.
Well have lots of time together,
though, for you shall come along
with me on my assignments"
Phoebe who, from the time she had
been a little girl, had always asserted
she was "going to write" was re.
porter on paper in her city. Her
feet, we felt, were set in the way they
should go. Phoebe had always
seemed to me the brightest, most
charming girl in the world, but there
was a new buoyancy about her. At
first it made me little jealous.
~ don't believe you mind being here
only a few days." l said, wistfully.
81 do believe you'll be glad to get
back to your work"
perhaps so" she agreed, 81 love
it,
For two weeks went with Phoebe
every day on her assignments. |
envied her the life, even though |
saw that sometimes she worked hard
on things which did not interest her
and that newspaper work was not all
glamor. The night before | went
home, we had a long talk.
peggy, DEAR" she said, gently,
"will you mind if I tell you that l
think you are making a mistake? It