The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-13
EVENING STORY
Denoted Up.
BY VIRGINIA LYNCH MAJ

BY VIRGINIA LYNCH MAXWELL.
I Somehow Janets mother could not
quite forget the stigma which she &C.
cused her daughter of putting on the
family name when she married Gerald
Cummings. their neighbor's chauffeur.
Janet, my child, do you realize
what you have done?" she remem-
bered her mother saying with an awe
back from the short honeymoon trip,
and Janet's family had since had time
| to digest the telegraphed news.
And Janet, then a girl of twenty,
had faced her mother resolutely.
"Of course l know what I've done,
| in the world"
whats the 2" Mrs Hemingway
complained that same evening when
Janet's father looked in at the young
| people seated in the drawing room,
and smiled knowingly.
Janet is too young to know that she
has committed a grave social error in
! marrying beneath her class" Mrs.
Hemingway continued. And as for
the man she chose, well-he will never
be anything but a chauffeur"
Mr. Hemingway waved his hand in
disgust. Let them be, Sara he ad-
monished his wife. ''Netty loves the
boy, and by all appearances he is in
love with our little Netty, so why all
the fuss?"
But the idea ranked in Mrs. Hem
ingway's mind for long while after.
Janet took a firm stand! They fur
nished a comfortable, tho plain little
flat and began to live the happy ever
after" period of their lives.
True, the furnishings of the modest
| flat did not compare with the cheapest
in the Hemingway household, but as
| Janet reminded her mother, Wasn't it
the love behind household that made
it a home, and not the mere material
| things?"
And after that Mrs. Hemingway de-
cided to let the matter rest.
| Two years later found Janet and
Gerald more comfortably established
than ever Gerald had got a better
position in an automobile firm and the
work gave him more regular hours.
| But there was a lot of study entailed.
Gerald, within a short time, became
an expert mechanician and got
| another raise.
| 1t was not money, however. that
finally bred the sore spot in Janet's
heart that had been forming uncon
sciously for months. 1t was her
mothers silent influence. She never
said anything about the affair ever
since the day of Janet's last outburst,
but the silent influence was there
| just the same.
/ Once when she had invited a num-
Der of girl friends to tea Janet's
| mother very untactfully displayed the
| fact that her daughter had no tele-
| phone, and pressed for a reason by
her inquisitive friends. Janet had lied
calmly that it was a source of annoy
ance. The truth of the matter was
| they could not quite afford it.
Janet was on the verge of utter
disbursement. altho there was no
real cause for it except this subtle in
false pride. The foundation of their
little home was at stakei The bomb
came, in a few evenings later.
| We'll. sweetie," Gerald said coming
in enthusiastically, I'm going-the
big day has come, Netty girl, when
our country is calling all, its red
bloods, and enlist-tomorrow."
''You-what?" Janet could scarcely
believe his words. Jerry boy, tell me
you are fooling. You are-why-''
she laughed frivolously and turned
away as tho to belittle the idea as a
mere passing fancy.
The next moment she turned toward
her husband again. But the express
| sion on his chiseled features made
her realize there was no joking to it,
I'm going, Netty, surely you're
glad. Don't stand there and gaze as
tho I were mad. Don't you realize
what it means. Going over to protect
you, other women, over there and over
here. Cad girl
But Janet had stopped him with her
gesture. You are mad. Stark mad
she burst out angrily, ''how can you
go when you have me to take care of.
You know married men don't have to
go. What are you thinking of and
We just being able to see a horizon
financially now?"
And SO they argued into the late
| hours of that evening. Twice Gerald
Cummings walked to the front win
dow and peered down at the throng
of men who were besieging the enlist
ment offices on the corner.
He pointed them out to Janet, but
she was impressive. Mad men," she
remarked, and shrugged her Shout
ders.
And the final issue came about the
next morning. Gerald was firm.
War is a duty between a man and
his God" he said hotly, mot a man
and his wife"
Just enough to kindle the flame.
Janet blazed her brown eyes upon him
and replied, well, if you go, Gerald,
you go for good. If you are that stub
born and care for me SO little, it's best
we know it now. You go. Gerald. and
l-and-well, We part ways"
| Gerald tried a Cancellation but 1t
was futile. He decided to go!
4 A dull period of monotony followed
for Janet at the Hemingway estab-
hshment, where she had taken refuge
after Gerald had gone to camp. But
the loneliness of the days she had
hitherto filled to the brim with her
many household cares seemed to pail.
Janet must do something. And so
because Anne Dawson was going into
the navy as a yeomanette, Janet de-
cided to take up stenography and go,
too.
But she was disappointed. Several
weeks after she graduated from the
business school in the heart of town
an order came thru for stenographers
at the gas defense plant on Long Is
land. She hesitated. Anne was ap-
pointed in the navy. But could she
; not do the same bit in the army?
i Her selfishness in merely wanting
to be with her girl friend came to her
in full realization one morning when
she had seen the first transport of
wounded soldiers land, and she hast
ened to the plant to offer her services.
Janet with the knack of her faith