The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-09

AUNT SUSAN'S LOVE LETTERS
CHAPTER 140
By JANE PHELPS


For the next few days I was in a
peculiar state of mind. I blew hot and
I blew cold. One moment was so
sure loved and wanted to marry Ken
meth Lawrence, that had it not been
for my promise, would have wired
him to come for me; the next I was
just as sure that I never would marry
him. and it was hard to restrain the
impulse to write and tell him SO.
said nothing of all this to mother.
altho I knew from her manner that
she understood I was troubled. But
we wanted Aunt Susan to have really
pleasant visit, and so tacitly agreed to
keep our troubles to ourselves while
she was there.
We thoroly enjoyed the opera
That's. Mary Garden looked and sang
beautifully. 1 was SO engrossed in the
opera that 1 had not heard Frank
Claxton come in just1before the close
until mother spoke to me.
MIR. Claxton is going to drive US
home" she said. Then he spoke to
me.
: "It is very hard to get a taxi after
the opera. so took the liberty of COM
ing for you. You are not dispieased ?"
The last very low.
"You look charming tonight.
= THANK, you, but it is the first time
you have seen me in evening dress
perhaps
Don't try to make me take it back,
for shan't! You are very lovely"
He sat in the back of the box until
the opera was over. then assisted US
with our wraps. Mother really had
done wonders for me. An old party
dress of silver met had been trans
formed by her clever fingers into a
really fashionable evening gown. she
looked stately and every men the
grand dame, while Aunt Susan was
in her best black silk re-
modelled for her visit to us.
We talked of the opera, of Mary
Garden, on our way home. each OF us
giving Mr.. Claxton our individual loea
of the singer, as well as the opera.
'It beats all how those singers ana
actresses keep looking so young" Aunt
Susan remarked. 'I read Gardens age
in the paper, but if she is as old as they
said I don't see how she skips around
the stage in the way she does" We all
at Aunt. and then ] said;
at seems to me she floats like bit
of thistle down. She is enhancing.
We reached home all too soon. but
it was late, and we soon separated Tor
the night. But I couldn't sleep. The
opera, Mary Garden, Frank Claxton's
all ran thru my mind
until almost morning, altho J did
everything / ever had heard of to in
duce sleep. I repeated the alphabet
backwards and forwards, counted
sheep jumping over a wall-an the
foolish things we do when we cannot
sleep.
In the morning had a long letter
from Kenneth. It was a very nice let
ter, but nothing in 1t that I couldn't
show mother and Aunt Susan. Sc
after I had finished it passed it over
to them, while hurried into my street
things.
Cant be much of a love letter or
she wouldn't let us see it, I heard
Aunt Susan say. =
HE is a very sensible young man,
mother replied.
THAT may all be, but when 1 was a
girl used to treasure my letters from
SAMMY husband-put them under
my pillow nights, wear them in the
bosom of my dress in the daytime
The other girls I knew were Just as
silly"
"Girls-especially girls who are out
n the world as Zena is-aren't apt to
be very sentimental" mother said with
4 sigh She very seldom spoke of me
as working. L was "out in the world"
| knew the sigh was because of what
she felt to be my lost girlhood, the life
of hardship I had led. For herself she
was resigned, but she never ceased
longing for the old times for my sake.
L guess most mothers are like that.
lTomorrow-Mrs. Stewards attitude
toward work.