Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-10

"CindereHd,S
Daughter"
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
Copurioht. 1920, bp Public Ledger Co.

Virginia West aud Kathleen Foster
Wero ChUmS at boarding school and
both girls became engaged at Inc
same time. Virginia took loro scri
ouSly and 10 spite of her mothers
diSQpprorol 1c0S determined TO mGrry
the man Of her choice cuen though ne
wds poor. Kathleen had more tcorlcly
ideas. she liked Bill LIONS, but not
enough TO become the iCifG OF q poor
mar. so she broke her engagement.
Virginia pas mdrried aud found lifo
noe u.L romance cith her mother mar
ricd and in Japan, aud the man OF her
choice changed from an urdent loUer
10 q critical husband.
THE knowledge that she was to be-
L come mother filled Virginia with
conflicting emotions. She told Jimmy.
shyly, not knowing how he would feel
about it and his attitude amazed her.
He caught her up in his arms as il she
had been child and sat in the big arm
chair with her There was worship in
his eyes and Virginia's heart was filled
with a great tenderness for him. She
kissed his stubby boyish hair and felt
awed by his emotion when she saw
tears in his eyes.
But when Virginia told Kathleen. the
news was not received in the same way.
Kathleen was Mortified
"a baby ~ she exclaimed.
Yes. isn't it wonderful said Nir-
ginia with shining eyes.
II think you're very unfortunate,
Kathleen said firmly.
To Virginia this attitude came as u
great surprise, and she showed her
amazement in ner widened eyes.
why. you're nothing but child,
Kathleen went on Indignantly. Not
nineteen yet, and poor in the bargain
and then TO be tied down with baby"
Nirginia's eyes blazed.
Don't you dare to talk like that
she famed. 81 think it's the most
beautiful thing that ever happened tc
Inc. don't care how poor we are.'
Kathleen changed her attitude. cts
because you're so young Virginia you
don't understand how it will keep yot
tied down"
II can imagine, and I'm ready fol
it."
"And what about jimmy"
''Iie thinks it's the most wonderful
thing that ever happened
well that's fine and it's Il goot
thing you both feel that way about it..
And Kathleen said nothing more, bu
| in her own private opinion she decided
/ that Virginia was utterly finished so fal
as amounting TO anything was con
| ccrncd. Her life would be a dull rou
| tine from morning till night. She woult
become just like hundreds of other WON
en- who brought up children with thei
days built around the dullcst of tasks
What child Virginia was, and yet NJ
ono could toll her anything. Her ma
turc seemed pliablc, and yet no on
could influence her to do anything sh
did not want to do. 1t had alway
been that way. and vet as Kathleen ha'
looked back she could not sec that Nir
ginia had ever gained by following th
dictates of her conscience.
In the days that followed Virgins
learned to sew seams on fine whit
cloth. and she was happy. Jimmy wa
very kind to her and in tho evening
they were very gay. Virginia loved t
wake up in the morning and to lie still
with half closed eyes and brain dc
liciously inactive while Jimmy close
the windows and puttered about in tn
kitchen with bathrobc wrapped aroun
him and his feet thrust into slippers
He would bring her n cup of steamin
coffee in bed. and she was not allowc
to get up until the room was thorough
! "dIHl. ! Ms illtullUu WIS NfIy SEdlllS
ing and Virginia was very happy.
Their happiness was threatened on
morning by letter from .Iimmy's moth
er saying that she was coming to visi
them for a while. Virginia held he
breath until Jimmy finished reading an
looked up at her. Something in he
eyes must have warned him. or perhar
intuition made him understand. At an
: rate, he wrote his mother that it woul
be impossible just now, as Virginia wa
better alope. 1t was the first direC
concession that Jimmy had made wher
. his mother was concerned and Tirgini
was pathetically grateful. The though
of Mrs. Anderson taking charge of tn
house and every one in it would ha,
been more than Virginia could bear.
MONDAY. Virginia meets new diff
, culty.)