The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-28
LETTERS OF
TWO WOMEN
Kate's Life Drops a stitch.
BY ZOE BECKLEY.

New York, December 3.
Dearest Mother May = Where
shall I begin? Why, with your pre-
cious baby, to be sure! And to think
he is whole month old and this my
first letter since he camel But this
is the first day I've been able to sit
up and hold a pencil in my silly old
hand Do you realize we have COR
responded over a month by tele-
gram? First yours, telling of Curtis
Juniors arrival (Which was the very
day 1 got the pip or whatever it was
that bowled me over), then our wire
of congrats. Then Paurs letter tell2
ing you 1 was distinguishing myself
for the first time in my life by hav-
ing a spell of illness? Then your
wire of sympathy and mine of reas-
surance.
Since then. May, I've been think
ing every minute of you and SON
that is, every minute when 1 was in
my right senses.
Can you think of anything so abb
solutely silly as my going and get
ting sick? The dear old, jolly, fat
doctor called it grippe And it was,
1 suppose. But it was nerves and
work chiefly. You know how the
office is toward the end of the year!
Everybody staying overtime and
things piling up faster than anybody
can do themi Well, 1 had been keep
ing late hours and studying (don't
laugh; only trying to ground myself
in some of the things Paul has known
ever since he wore knickerbockers)
and working pellmen at the office
and keeping house (after fashion,
and entertaining PauIs young cousin
from Philadelphia. And all of sud-
den 1 just blew up. Nerves had been
doing tricks for weeks, but 1 hated
to pay attention to nerves. I took
cold one nasty, sloppy day and sat
around with wet boots and skirts in
the office Which was what caused
the final explosion.
But it's all over now, dearie, all nice
and neat. And I'm being a real lady.
No work, no responsibility, nothing
but to lie here and be taken care OF
by cute blonde nurse in white linen;
And 1 think of you and wonder
how you were taken care of. and
whether you, too. had a pretty nurse
in white linen and darling fat doctor
who makes jokes and talks .philoso-
ply. Only 1 envy you for having
care of for. 4hat BABY! That was
worth all the trouble people took. 1t
makes me writhe to think of what a
commotion I made, and nothing to
show for it but the grippe.
oh. Maize. do hurry and write me
every little detail about yourself and
the Adorable! Is he like you? Has
he your hands? And the dimple in
his chin. Is he fair or dark, fat or
scrawny? Quiet or a bawler? 1 love
him, whatever he is. and the more j
think of him the more 1 want dozen
of my own.
I almost can't wait for letter. !
feel so out of things, SO impatient to
be up and doing again. They've been
keeping my place open at the office.
but Paul absolutely forbids me to GO
back He says it isn't the sort of job
for me, and that if 1 insist on doing
something he can find me a position
| that will be easier and more inter-
esting. 1 love to hear him say it. ]
love being bossed- love to have him
think he can find me something bet
teri l almost in {. way love the nov
city of lying here and being taken
care of. 1 see now why it is fash
ionable and amusing to go to sanitar-
iums and cures" But it would pail
| on me soon. With all my warmest
love, dear, yours in suspense,
KATE.