The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-10
LIE T. TIERS OF
TWO WOMEN
Mrs. Curtis Bond to Miss Kate
OSWaY.
By ZOE BECKLEY
Kerryville, Kan, Sept. 80.


Kerryville, Kan, Sept. 80.
1 got y UT wire asking if anything
was the matter. It comforts me to
think you care. After all, a woman
needs a woman friend, no matter
There are SO many things a man can't
understand. And I'm ready to con-
feSs I'm not happy.
The reason L didn't answer your
dear old fool letter is simply because
l couldn't That sounds silly. But
the quarrel between Curtis and me,
which you made fun of (not that I'm
blaming you, dear; on the contrary,
your fun and comments did me a
world of goodO had more serious
aspect than you know.
1t was a three-cornered fuss: Curt,
his mother and L
Curt and his mother adore each
other. Mrs Bond would willingly
have her teeth and eyes taken out and
made into jewelry for Curt if it would
please him. And Curt admires his
ma because she has always been the
man of the family (she had to be, pa
being a darling but a dreamer) and
feels she can do no wrong.
Well, L lost my temper when ma
in-law horned into this quarrel, and
asked her why she permitted her son
to marry an educated, accomplished
woman if what he wanted was a farm
drudgei And that l should think he
would be proud of me as I am, and
not expect me to be several women in
one, all in a minute.
She replied that education didn't
have to deprive a person of common
sense; that "gumption" was what 1
l-eeded and a willingness to learn the
plain things of life.
Katie-mad as 1 was. that set me
thinking. You will give me credit for
q fn
you? Well, partly because 1 know I
am an imperious, hoity-toity sort of
person; partly because I really admire
my husbands mother if I don't love
her, took the whole affair dreadfully
to heart
I got discouraged and depressed
began tt feel the fault was mine. and
that our m arriage was terrible mis-
take that would crush me and handi-
cap Curtis for life Then I took an
such fever that the doctor sent me
to bed for a week. And 1 felt more
useless and expensive than ever.
Then came your letter with its last
paragraph: TT will do you both good
tone down your hoity- toityness and
show them that beauty has its place
in life"
Yes, Kate, it will do us both good
if it isn't carried too far! A little re-
straint is good. Too much some
sons in beauty are good. too. But
there is such a thing as casting
pearls
I am beginning to believe my hus-
band and his people live solely for
money. They labor to make it. They
wear themselves to the bone to save
it. They cramp themselves to the
limit of endurance in order to use
every penny in q profitable way. They
will scheme Aand connive for days to
think out a way of getting five dol
lars more from a deal. They take no
pleasure from life except the pleasure
of working for money. What use
have such people for beauty? What
use have they for extravagant me?
1 am luxury they do not appreciate.
oh. Kate, I'm blue. Blue as indigo.
I wish you could come out and see
me. But of course you can't till your
own love affair is settled one way or
another. How are things going. dear?
Tell me you're having your own trou-
bles-to cheer me up and make me
feel mine less.
fredericksburg, MAY.