The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-18
JUST A GIRL
THE MARRIAGE QUESTION.
CHAPTER 121.
Blu JANE PHELPS


used to wonder If I had remained
| in New York, if 1 had been near my
old friends, il because of Claudia
Sheppard 1 would have seen Kenneth
Lawrence again. Altho they were
| cousins I never remembered his hay
| ing visited then but that once, but
! had often heard Claudia talk of him.
| Some way, when 1 vas settled in my
new home with Mary and Tom, |
| thought more often of Kenneth 1t
| might have been because I saw how
\ happy and contenteds they were, altho
/ they worked hard. Tom was so kind
/ and thoughtful, Mary so loving, that
at times lonely feeling clutehed my
/ heart, and I felt as if ], alone of all
| the world, hadsno one to care for me.
| My work was going well. 1 tried in
| every way to familiariZe myself with
, all the details of the bond department..
and had succeeded to the extent that
| now 1 had practically been made as
sistant to the manager. Naturally l
was pleased, and a lite proud.
| mo girl who wasn't educated could
| do what you've DONE" Mary said when
we talked about my rapid advance
| ment.
| mo girl could have done it even if
| she was educated if she didn't work
hard" said practical Tom Miss Zena
| has worked very hard, and deserves
! all the good luck that can come to
her But if you won't mind I want
to say something, can 2"
| "Of course you may Tom! anything
you like" I replied heartily. I liked
Thomas Clancy. I also respected him
| and his opinions.
| ST hardly know how to say it, Miss
! Zena, but don't think that business.
working in an office, is everything
there is. Mary and I are so happy
together-so different from what we
were when we were working alone,
IN In n Y1Ta
| too, in the same way. You ought to
get married, Miss Zena. You amt the
kind to go on working all your life.
You ought to have a home of your
| own"
my what a long speech for you.
| Tom" I laughed. 81 sometimes am
a bit Jealous of you and Mary"
added more seriously, but not Tor
long. I have to care for mother you
know. I am thinking constantly that
| in another year 1 may have her with
me- Then I will have home of my
own. Altho to tell the truth 1 am
very contented here with you and
| Mary
"That amt the idea, Miss zena. 1t
amt right that you shouldn't make
some nice man happy and be happy
with him. I guess I'm old-fashioned,
hut I think all nice girls, like you and
| Mary, are sort of wasted unless you
get married. There's so many of the
other kind that marry, the kind that
don't know how to be wives or how
to help a man be a good husband. and
a successful man, that it seems pity
not to have all of your kind marry.
I was surprised to hear Tom talk
like this. He was usually quiet. and
| said what he had to say in few
| words.
st don't say I sha'n't marry, Tom.
/ But have yet to meet the mani
stopped, and felt the hot blood rush to
my face. I had met a mamie was
] still enshrined in my heart altho I had
no way of knowing that he cared for
me any longer. And I also knew that
it was this feeling for Kenpeth Law
renee that had made me refuse to lis
ten to Tony Deland when everything
| within me cried out for the comfort
| and ease from work and responsibility
he could give me; for what could do
for mother as his wife.
| IF you haven't, you'll meet him
l.some day, Miss Zena. Don't have your
mind so full of your work that you
won't realize he is the right man."
| "Oh. Zena won't b Miss Stewart al
| waysi" Mary broke in. "You two are
too serious. I heard little bird say
that she could get married any time
she wanted-and to a fine man, too
r little birds sometimes gossip when
| they have no reason to. Mary. Don't
llisten to them" I replied laughingly.
Then: eff you two say anything more
| about my getting married I shall think
you are tired of me; that you want to
get rid of me-
| "Oh, Miss Zena," and "Oh, Zena,"
they exclaimed in chorus, and the sub
ject was dropped. But I often thought
| of Toms homely advice; his odd way
of putting his thoughts of matrimony
| into words
| "All nice girls like you and Mary
| are sort of wasted unless you get mar
! ried.' Was he right?
\ Tomorrow proposaD