The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-03
THE NEW
GENERATION
MARGARET PLANS TO MEET JOAN
By JANE PHELPS
Chapter IS.

Chapter IS.
That while man proposes-and hes
Eitates-the gods take a hand in hu-
man affairs was exemplified in the
next few days.
Margaret had decided to let joan
know she was in New York; to ask
her to live with her in the apartment.
Yet she hesitated, not knowing just
how to approach the subject.
Craig Forester called her on the
telephone.
Thank you, I shall be delighted. 1
was feeling rather blue" Margaret re-
piled. =
'Where shall we go?"
mot a bit! Let me see. that is
| down in Greenwich Village isn't it?"
Eyes, Joan goes there"
81 seel You hope you may see
herr"
"TiI call for you at csc. have a
| hazy idea that one dimes early in those
places
II shall be ready"
In the taxi Margaret leaned back
comfortably. They talked little yet
frequently laughed together,
Aren't you afraid you'll meet your
daughter if you dine in places she
| mentions in her 1etters?" Forester
asked.
'I expect to. If not tonight, some
ether time. She says she smokes
now" Margaret added apropos of
| nothing in particular.
| Most young women do. The
younger they are the more they
smoke"
'Td better commence then. I long
| to be young you know, and if smok-
| ing is an indication of youth I shall
| take to the cigaret at once
| Forester shook with laughter.
"You are delicious!" he said. 1T is
perfectly incredible to me that either
| your daughter or yourself can think
| you such a FOSSIL" Then: ANY one
| lacking my perspicacity would never
imagine that all this nonsense leads
up to Joan-that you are dying to see
your young lady daughter"
| Don't imagine things" Margaret
said reprovingly.
well, aren't you anxious to see
herr"
"Of course I want to see her. We
never have been separated before, not
even for e day. But haven't been
ready-until> now. Really I have been
quite shameless about it, Craig. I have
so wanted to impress her with the
| idea that L too had some personality :;
| that I was not quite derelict even if 1
were old" Then after a moment she
added: "And 1 want her to be inter-
ested in me as 1 am in her. Not love
me only as a mother, but like me as
a woman"
'sYou are splendid, Margaret.'S
Arrived at the Purple Pup. Margaret
scanned the faces about the room. No
sign of Joan. Then the door opened
and to the sound of gay lifting voices
and much laughter, Joan and two
others, a girl and a man, entered.
10 Of iO11f IF n 1V9n Gf
at once. and Joan perceived her
mother at almost the identical mo-
ment. She was attracting attention,
Joan was, as she stood there in the
doorway round-eyed, unbelieving. She
almost ran to the table where Mar
garet and Forester were sitting.
-mother-what-2"
People coming in, and those already
seated stopped everything to look and
listen. Greenwich Village is always on
the qui-vive for something out of the
ordinary.
Eyes, Joan. Won't you sit with US?
You remember Mr.. Forester of
course" "Cf counsel" Joan answered
in her old impudent fashion vouch-
safing him a nod,
IT have been intending to call you
up but L have been so busy" Mar
garet said guiltily realizing the ad-
vantage she had over Joan. She had
come down to the Village purposeiy to
meet Joan, hoping she would be there.
| Joan thought her living quietly in the
little country town where for years
they had made their home. 1t was
no wonder she was almost incapable
Of speech.
"But-when-why-
s'Never mind Joan. Introduce
US to your young friends" Margaret
smiled indulgently upon her daughter.
| (Tomroow-At the Purple Pup.)