The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-10
JUST A GIRL
n, TANE DIET
zENA's MOTHER OBJECTS.
By JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER 10.

CHAPTER 10.
or course mother found out had
written to Kenneth Lawrence. One
day she asked me if 1 had heard from
him again, and without thinking, I re-
piled:
mot yet, he's hardly had time"
You see, I wasn't used to deceiving
mother
What do you mean?" she asked. a
startled look in her eyes, Not time"
ITO answer my letter"
$50 you replied to him, did you,
zena? 1 thought you understood 1
disapproved."
But why, mother? He's a nice.
moral young man, isn't hee"
That was one of mothers own ex-
pressions, "A nice moral young man"
HE may be all that. / believe he is
or Mrs. Sheppard would not have en-
tertained him as she did-even If he
were a relative. But it isn't necessary
for you to correspond with every nice
young man you meet"
'Of course it isn't, metheri And I
don't intend to. But 1 didn't see any
harm in answering Kenneth's-Mr-
Lawrence's letter.
THAT is right, Zena, don't allow
yourself to form the habit of speak
ing of mere acquaintance by their
given names. / am glad to see you
correct yourself l hope now that you
have answered his letter. that it will
even if he replies"
1 was delighted that mother again
required no promise. 1t was a little
way she had of taking things for
granted-what she thought right was
| to be done.
| I did not tell her I had shown dad
| the letter I had written Kenneth. 1t
might bring the old dear in for a bad
fifteen minutes because he had not
discouraged me.
| I knew mother, once having spoken
as she did, was not likely to talk of it
again unless something I did brought
| it to her attention. But once more
| she helped to do what she was trying
| to undo. Sounds queer. but 1t was SO.
She made me think of Kenneth lot
more than if she had let me talk
about him to her.
Two or three times had a terribly
close shave. I almost spoke his name
when mumsie and were having one
| of our good times together Oh. yes,
we had them, lots of them. even if
mother was a bit severe with me.
1t is rather nice, being an only child,
in some respects. You get all the love
and attention, instead of having it II
up like a pie in quarters or sixths-
and you getting only your piece be-
cause if you had more there wouldn't
be enough to go around.
OF course it has its disadvanta ges
toe. You don't have any brothers OF
sisters to play with, or to run about
with when you get older. Neither dc
you have anyone to be blamed fol
things. So I guess it sort of evens up
after all.
Edith Wren had two brothers and g
sister. She seemed to love then
dearly, altho they quarreled lot.
asked her once why she quarreled
with them. and she said:
| "Oh, brothers and sisters Away:
fight! But we don't mean a thing. Il
is a way of letting off steam, guess
when there is big family. We love
each other dearly. I'd be SO lonesome
1 would die if were all alone like you
are
I wasn't lonesome. and told her so
You would be if you ever had ha6
any family. You don't know waat
fun we have. Then you see, Zena
when you get married and leave home
your poor father AMI mother will b.
all alone-unless you go right on liv
ing with them. And my grandmother
says that isn't wise-ever. She say!
awfully funny things sometimes Sht
says there never was a house built bis
enough to hold two bosses.
| Then it must be such fun when yel
J get married to have a home of one!
| very own-to select all the furnitur,
5 and hangings and have just the color!
you want and everything. Just SCI
now lovely Rose Hartnan's little HON,
is, and Harry isn't a bit rich either
: asked father. He said Harry onl,
makes about $4,000 or $4,000, and vol
, know one can't have everything OF
that But I'd rather marry a poo
, man like Rose did and have a home O
my own, than to live with anybody.
Right then and there l made UP M
mind that I would never live with my
, one either-not even dear father ant
mother. And I couldn't help bu
wonder if having $4,000 or $40, wa,
being really poor-Kenneth I,awrenc,
didn't have as much as that, 1 wa.
sure.
! (Tomerrow-Jack Pryor proposes.)