The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-13
THE NEW
GENERATION
By JANE PHELPS
MARGARET DEBATES WHAT SHE
SHOULD DO.
By JANE Phelps
Chapter 2

Chapter 90.
Margaret Hayden was really dis
tressed, really unhappy. Should she
break entirely with Craig Forester?
Could she give him up? She refused
to make any engagements for the fol-
lowing day and spent the entire day
in her apartment, mot at home" to all
callers.
She felt sure that if she would go
to Joan and tell her she had abso-
lutely broken off with Craig Forces
ter, if she gave Joan her word she
would not marry him, she would be
instantly restored to the girls favor.
She had told Craig she never would
marry him until she knew Joan would
not be resentful and unhappy over it.
But it would be quite different if she
gave her promise to Joan, a promise
she never could break or would break.
IF 1 didn't love Craig it would be
easy enough. she said to herself as
she turned the matter over and over
Now she felt so disheartened that she
found no consolation in the thought of
Ted Walters, or in the idea that Joan
was sure to marry, if not him, some
one. Almost she made up her mind
that Joan never would marry-that
she meant it when she said she had
no idea of marrying any one.
Suppose-just suppose she should
MT marryi And she should persist in
her dislike to her, Margaret, marry
ing. Could she go thru the long years
without Craig, giving him up for the
part-time company Joan and her var
led interests and her extreme ideas
could give to her?
Margaret had been the central fig
ure of a coterie of smart and charm
ing peoule eveA since she had been in
New York. She knew she could give
them all up for Joan without a regret,
save only Craig Forester.
But her sojourn in New~York had
taught her she was a human being
with human emotions and aspirations.
All thru Joan's young years she had
been simply a machine, a machine
built and used for Joan's happiness,
Joan's comfort, Joan's desires.
More than anything in the world
was Margaret just then sorry for two
-ople-herseif, and Joan.
But want her to like me, to like
me better than any other woman in
the world. And she won't if''-Mar-
garet's speech halted.
Margaret ate her dinner alone, an
had she become.
Hannah" she said as the devoted
maid lowered about her, do you think
Miss Joan will ever marry
"Ggodness no. And no man
is. She won't ever give In to no
one, never would. That little Frost
boy back home was the only person
she ever cottoned to one bit You
member him"
II should say I did! The way
used to feed that bunch to keep them
from getting sentimental" And in
spite of her distress, Margaret laughed
merrily. Hadn't she kissed Malcolm
Frost so that Joan and he would at
tach no meaning to their kisses. given
in ny r
only she were little again.'
''She amt nothing but baby yet
Hannah returned, Just a great big
baby. The other day when I took her
them little cakes, she sat right down
on the fleor with them sheets or
writin' all around her and ate seven.
was scairt stiff she would git sick.
but she only laughed at me. She ain'r
been sick. has she?"
"Ne. It's a wonder tho. Seven OF
those cakes! How could she do it %
L amt sure she eats regular
enough, Ma'am. You see when she
gifts to poundin' that typewriter lik.
mad the way she does 1 sort of think
she forgits to eat
II shouldn't be surprised. So you
think she won't get married ," Mar
garet returned to the subject
"No-she amt the marryfn' kind
And as I said no man amt gofn' to lef
her go on havin' her own wey the vay,
you has It amt in reason they would
Men is different. They want to be
made of heap, and looked arter, anc
let think they Is boss Now you know
Miss Joan amt going to 90 none or
them things. Not onei"
mo, 1 don't believe she would
and yet perhaps - If @she-foved-'s
Margaret unused after Hannah had re-
turned to her kitchen.
(fomorrow-A broken engagement1