The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-22
LET TIERS OF
TWO WOMEN
Mother or Wife?
By ZOE BECKLEY,

Kate Dear:
After three interminable days of
waiting and wondering. Curt called
here at my lodgings. He looked as
II he had been thru a siege of fever.
you must come home, May" he
said. Mother and have had a long
talk about this thing. Mother says"
what your mother says, Curtis
l interrupted, lis immaterial to me-
have had enough of your mothers
interference. enough of her insults
and scorn. I want you to answer, and
you alone. Am 1 to have my baby
and go to the Danskois? Or must
go to the limits of-of divorce. Oh.
1 know it isn't pleasant, Curt, but
shall never go back to your house un-
der the conditions I endured before
Mother" began Curt, clearing
his throat, has agreed to take care
of our boy"
quickly, stepping close to him and fix
ing his wandering gaze with a deter
mined stare, your mother shall not
take care of our boy unless leave you
and take the baby with me. I shall
not permit your mother nor any one
else in the world, to arrange my life
for me. She has no right to try to
force me to her standards. / have my
own. Either I return to your house as
sole mistress of it, with adequate help
from you or from someone hired to
help. Or I shall go to my friends Kate
and Paul, take the baby with me and
make a home for the baby and me
by my own work until you come to
your senses or-or we end it all for
ever"
II want you to remember, May. that
my start in life and most of the things
that have kept us going for years are
entirely due to my mother. She is
wonderful woman, a strong char
acter. a Splendid"
'She may be all that 1 said, but
when a man marrieS he owes loyalty
and protection first to his wife.
ask for nothing but reasonab BILE things
kindness, tolerance. sympathy from
You and helping hand in the man
agement of our home and our chill
dren. If you will grant these and keep
your mother from running me and my
house and children and husband, ]
will come back, Curt. But you must
choose between your mother and me.
am sorry it must come to this. but /
feel am right and can make no fur
ther compromises. I think your moth
err will some day come to see her mis-
takes. Curt. Don't-don't YOU see
them? 90 added, in a softer tone.
But he turned from me, Kate. oh,
my dear, Curtis Bond is so hard. SO
unfeeling. I looked at him standing
there, Kits. and actually had q feel
ing as II he were a stranger. as II
had never loved him and been his
wife and the mother of his two ba-
bies. How unstable and shifting is
this thing we call love. dear! How
we think\we capture it. and close our
hand over-nothing. Ashes, empty
air
you ask me to quarrel with my
mother" said Curtis sullenly, while I
was still lost In my thoughts. well,
I can't do it Blood is thicker than"
he paused, ashamed at his callousness.
Than marriage" I finished. with
numb heart.
We stood there in my shabby lodg-
house room for some minutes
without speaking. Then Curt broke
the silence.
May" he said. moistening his lips.
ST can't think things out. Il want
you to take that trip-with your
friends. And 1 want you-to-leave
both the children here. Just for a
little. Il promise you on my honor
it will only be until l can think things
out"
He went. with scarcely a goodbye.
leaving me in a black sea of doubt.
MAY.