The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-18
JUST A GIRL
By JANE PHELPS
BREAKFAST CHATS.
CHAPTER II.

d
told me of her letter, was quite PEN
sive. 1 wondered if it would be break
ing faith with mother if L sent Ken
meth a message. Finally l asked dad.
Il don't think it would be wrong.
but 1 wouldn't do it, dear. Mother
trusts you. A year isn't long in pass
ing. If he is a man of his word. he'll
write when his probation expires.
That was the way dad always talked to
me-so sensibly. and a s if 1 were SEN
sible, too. 1t made me want to please
him.
1 ina CINE he expected some mes
sage. For when Claudia told me she
| had received another letter from him,
she said nothing of any message to me,
so 1 concluded he hadn't sent any be-
cause had not noticed the other one.
1 would think 1 had almost forgot
ten about him when something would
come up to make me remember. and
| to think of him. One day Edith Wren
said to me:
Isn't it strange that that cousin
of Claudia's. that Kenneth Lawrence
doesn't write TO any of US? 1 was
sure he would" l knew she felt
piuued by her tone. 1 didn't tell her
he had written tonne until mother for
/ babe the correspondence. 1t was
none of her affair. But ror days after
thought of Kenneth. and couldn't
| help little feeling of joy that he had
| not neglected me.
1 never had told even Claudia about
his letters.
was going out a lot-too much
| dad said But mother told him it was
| hard to regulate a debutante. 1 had
so MANY invitations. and most of them
| ones that mother wanted me to accept
| She was stern about my rest, tho, ana
made me sleep as late as could morn
| ings, until I revolted.
had always eaten breakfast with
| father when 1 was at home. He loved
| to have me. So told mother I would
/ go back to bed if she insisted, but that
| I was going to eat with dad. His face
| the first morning I Joined him again
| showed HON pleased he was, SO L new
/ er failed to be down when he was.
| As 1 look back 1 think of those
morning talks dad and I had
/ breakfast chats" he called them.
were the best part of my days. He
was sometimes serious, sometimes gay;
but always kept me interested. After
| breakfast he would run up the stairs
| like boy to kiss mother goodbye.
| always waited in the hall to help him
to hand him his hat and stick at other
| times. Then / would go to the door.
and watch him until the car turned
| the corner
Mother used to laugh at us
You two are just like bride and
groom" she would say But I knew
, she was pleased to have ME with dad.
| Once she said:
Hes the very best man ever have
known"
know now that he was a very
unusual man. Not many men of large
affairs would have devoted so much
| time to a daughter as he did to me, or
been so thoughtful of all that per-
tanned to his home life.
His refuge" he called our home.
In February we all went to Palm
Beach. I had a glorious time. Father
seemed to grow young again. We
| bathed and sailed and danced, and l
| never had a dull minute. Mr. Sanders
was there-I found out he went TO-
month every year. He seemed to be
continually popping up wherever we
went. But as dad was along, 1 didn't
| care. l danced with him occasionally,
| and once or twice he Joined us on the
beach. 1 had no idea he was falling in
/ love with me- so I was just a bit
| thrilled when dad told me he had ask
| ed permission to ask me to marry him.
What did you tell him? L asked,
excited
! Il toll him you were altogether too
young to marry anyone"
What did he say then? Don't makel
me drag it out of you. dad! Don't you
know any girl would be excited over
! her first real PROPOSAL"
Your first. What about young
Pryor."
'iOh, Jack doesn't count, When he
can't think of anything else to do, he
proposes to me" 1 wondered how dad
| knew about Jack. l never had told
him. He laughed heartily; then he
said
Il told Sanders you would have to
! decide WHO you would marry. So
don't be surprised if he says something
to YOU" Then seriously, altho he
smiled at me: Remember, dear. am
/ 1Of Il
for some time yet"
You won't have to; so don't worry!"
Dad looked someway happier when
said that. and kissed me.
| CTomorrow-Horace Sanders
| propoSes.)