The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-21

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The Epe1i1le Story

tBy Constance Lee.)
Gerald." AIMS voice threatened
Forgive me, dear. but you milf
Gerald Ford tossed aside the news
paper he had been reading aloud and
laid strong. sun-burned fingers on his
sweetheart's arm
Ann shrugged his hand away. He
stared straight ahead through the
| trees where the river flashed silver
streak at the foot of the garden.
AIMS lovely dark face was sulky-
Suddenly her red lips parted in fndfg-
nant protest Of Gerald's scornful at
titude toward her whole-sOuled inter-
est in the suffrage movement.
thought you were in sympathy
with me. Gerald she said coldly.
You know how much this means to
me and yet you never lose an oppor-
tun1ty to poke fun at it-and mel!
My dear girl!'' he protested. It
wish could persuade you to look at
1t In my way-there are SO many-er
wrongs that a woman can better adj
just by retaining her present status
her influence is SO heavy in certain
directions pertaining to the home and
her children. ii she cares to exert It.
Instead of that she overlooks the du-
ties close at hand and is fighting for
tasks that men are better fitted for by
an?" cut in Ann frigidly. The girl
who takes her place in the business
world? Hasn't she the right to choose
place in the government OF her
country II she wishes?"
Il suppose So" admitted Gerald re-
luctantly, but she is better off mar
ried, believe metz
Ann got up with little air OF de-
cision.
i've changed my mind about join
f. vf<a<H VUyfAH ION
who should have no say in the laws
that govern the lives of their families
Now am quite free to go out in the
world and assume my portion OF LABOR
and insist upon my rights to vote.
Gerald's dazed eyes beheld AIMS
straight young form running lightly
down the steps. Then his gaze drop
ped to the sparkling diamond ring
that she had left in his palm.
He realized that he was no longer
engaged to Ann Dalton, and that
beautiful Miss Dalton was quite free
to mount a soap box and thunder
forth pleas for women's rights to vote.
Suddenly the summer weeks that
had seemed so beautiful to him, ap-
peared like a dream. A chill was in
the air and the Dalton summer home
seemed bleak and drear.
1t was all because he and Ann no
longer belonged to each other.
1t was November and Gerald was
debating the last OF his letters TO MS
stenographer, Miss Pinney. When she
had gathered notebook and pencil and
various memoranda. Miss Pinney adj
justed her eyeglasses and informed
Gerald that she wished to resign her
position the following week.
I'm sorry" said Gerald frankly.
Are you going to be married, Miss
Pinney?"
The brown little woman essayed a
blush and admitted the romantic fact.
She even added that the head book
keeper, NE. Breen, was to play the
part Of the happy bridegroom.
And you don't feel any regret at
giving up your freedom and combining
your talents to the care of a home ?"
he asked. avs ssat sasi
Miss Pinney blushed again. and
waved a. gesture, of distaste around
the office. Il hath it all" Then she
added wistfully: TT is SO nice to be
taken care Of"
When he was alone Gerald stared
moodily from the window. Suppose
Ann had thought the same thing
that it was good to be protected!
They would have been married by this
time: they would have been married
and Ann would have taken up her
portion of labor4the making of
cozy home for them both.
when a woman steps out of her
sphere to compete with men in busi-
ness, some mans home goes hang!"