The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-28
lust A GIRL
By JANE PHELPS
A CALL.
CHAPTER 100.

81 am very honored that you let me
come" Mr. Claxton said in response to
mothers greeting, then chatted enter
tainingly for about half an hour.
When he left he asked if he might
come again, and mother unhesitatingly
gave him permission. 1 had said very
little, yet had thoroly enjoyed the call.
Mother was enthusiastic over him.
Hes the right sort. Zena," she
said, "a man anyone would be proud
to know. IL is wonderful to me that
you happened upon such place. I
have read so much about the dangers
to girls, working girls, in big city.
I am sure if all employers were like
Mr.. C1xton, there would be little to
fear"
HE is nice, mother" 1 said moth
ing OF the others 1 had met 1 never
had written mother of the disagree
able incidents that happened when I
first came to Chicago, and had no
| thought of telling her now. 1t would
do no good, and might make her
worry.
HE thinks a great deal of you.
dear" mother said after a little. "He
! shows it very plainly"
II have tried to please him" I
know mother was very keen, that very
| little escaped her 1 did not want her
toms feeling for me. 1t had been bad
enough to have Mary continually tell
ing me he was in love with me.
| II judge you have" mother said
dryly.
A few days after his call Mr. Clax-
| ton sent mother a delicious basket of
fruit With it he sent kindly note,
saying he had enjoyed his call, and
| hoped to soon avail himself of her
permission to call again.
| 1 said nothing about it, but I wished
| he had not sent mother the fruit.
| 1ad trio n ar.d tn ON re
| absolutely on a business basis that this
kindness took on more of social
meaning than perhaps he intended.
Then one lovely day he sent his car
knew nothing of it until 1 reached
| home-with orders to the chauffeur to
take mother for drive thru the park,
and anywhere else she cared to go.
| Mother took the courtesy as a mat
| ter of course. She had never ques-
| toned such things in her life, and had
no idea of doing so now. l saw that
| I had a new problem on my hands.
| Mother must be made to understand
| that we weren't in a position to accept
| favors, that I was a poor working girl,
and must not allow my employer to
do such things-even for her.
AS far as my being poor, mother
understood that perfectly. But just
why that made the difference in peo-
pie who by birth and education were
! in her class being nice to her, she
could not conceive. She was. always
| had been. a great stickler for the arts
tocracy of birth as opposed to that of
money. We. she and I. were the same
people we had been when dad could
give us every luxury. Why shouldn
| the same courtesieS be given us? she
thought.
| 1 saw that this attitude of mothers
was going to cause me a good deal OF
anxiety. 1 had almost determined to
speak to Mr.. Claxton and explain to
| him how 1 felt, and that mother had
never been placed SO she understood
such things as they now affected us
when that-everything- put out
of my mind by a letter from Kenneth
| Lawrence saying he would be in Chi
cago on the following Saturday.
II will come to you just as soon
| as I reach Chicago he said. 81
am wondering if you will be glad to
see me-
Then even this was made of minor
| Importance. for that very day Frank
Claxton, my employer, asked me to
marry him.
II love you very dearly, Zena. Won't
you let me make a home for you and
your mother-rather, won't you take
| pity on me and make home for me
I have startled you"-I had been so
taken by surprise that 1 could not
speak. All I could do was stare at
him. Don't you care for me a little
have sometimes flattered myself
that you did"
IT care very much, Mr.. CIaxton, but
not in that way. Oh, am so sorry!
1 never dreamed"
| Don't feel badly, dear. Perhaps in
| time-I will be very patient"
| "Oh, no
| as there some one else?"
| "Yes-no-I am not sure"
"Then I shall not give up all hope.
And Zena, you won't allow this to
| make any difference? Just forget ]
am anything but your hard-hearted
employer. will you? I will not offend
| again
| Gladly I promised. When he asked
me to marry him it had rushed thru
my mind that I would have to leave
| And 1 had brought mother on, and
| was not at all sure about Kenneth
Now I could go on as before.
| (Tomorrow-Kenneth Lawrence)