The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-12
The Woman
He Married
BY lane PHELPS
DICK DECIDES TO GO TT ALONE
Cshanfar liz

7
Chapter 116.
| It sounds terribly heartless, but
when the story upon which Dick and
Juanita had spent weeks of work was
returned by no less than five editors 1
could not help feeling glad-altho I
took great pains not to show it. In
fact I was most sympathetic.
! 1t had peculiar effect upon Dick.
| The rejection of any work invariably
depressed him for a time, but this turn
down seemed to dishearten him alto
gether. One editor had said the plot
was a good one, but the treatment
childish. uninterestiHs5 ordinary" 1t
was the same editor who had bought
the previous story. which in a way ac-
counted for Dicks disappointment
"Do cheer up. Dick! You can't ex-
pect to write successes all the time" l
tried to encourage. He had been either
very silent, or cross as could be for
| days past. you haven't spoken a
pleasant word to me since that story
came back. Don't take it SO to heart"
Il guess l am pretty much of a
crouch, Nan. But ] someway felt so
sure Hapgood would take it. He spoke
so very flatteringly in his letter about
the other one" Hapgood was the
name of the editor who had taken
Dicks serious story.
help the reminder.
Il know-and, Nan. guess shall
have to write alone. 1t worries me to
| have to tell Iuanita so. Especially
since she has given me several IDEAS
| that I am sure 1 can work up
| Dick went over to Juanita's soon
after our talk. He came back smiling.
"Well?" I asked, wondering
"She was a brick. When [ told her
! that l would have to work out my
! ideas in my own way, that I could not
/ collaborate, she was bully. Offered to
/ help me in any way she could, and
even said she would efface herself per-
manently if necessary to my success
| 1 could not help thinking how sim
! pie Dick was. He repeated things
Juanita said to him with the naivete
of child. Yet I knew she still held a
strong attraction for him, one not
easily to be broken.
/ At times it seemed as if my punish
ment for what L had done in those
past years was more than could bear
! even more than deserved. Then l
would picture Dick as he was when I
first met him. and when I married
him. Full of life and fun. Honest,
faithful. Then I would think of him
as he was when we left New York
broken, old, ready and willing to pass
out by his own hand because of the
ruin of his ife-the ruin had
wrought It was during such reminis-
cencing that felt no punishment was
undeserVed,= no sacrifice too great for
him.
! was doing remarkably we'll in my
work. I low had a stable bank ac-
count and often refused to contract
for homes that would take me away
from Dick, altho he was so busy writ
ing (and spending his leisure hours
with Juanita) that I am not at all
sure he would have missed me had I.
/ We had a capable maid, and Junior
was doing well in school Had Dick
! loved me-or had I been able to- be-
lieve he did, I should have been per
fectly happy.
One day we had a talk about our
! finances. He had insisted upon rum
ming the house, ct cetera. He was
making money now-had sold two
Juanita-and he declared 1 had done
my share while he was getting
whipped into harness"
But, Dick, I want to keep on" I
pleaded, You see, dear, it is perhaps
a woman's place to keep the home.
But I do not take that attitude. I feel
| that so long as the home is kept as
well as the wife herself could keep il,
/ if she can earn money at something
more congenial it should be her privi-
lege to use part of what she earns to
pay for what she would ordinarily do
]
We finally compromised. Dick was
| to pay the interest on the mortgag e,
and buy all the food. I would pay for
the maid, and the various improve
ments, ct cetera. 1t was an equable
/ division, and I was very happy over it.
! Then too it made Dick feel better.
/ had realized that he often felt be-
Titled because of the necessity for
using my earnings, and that he some
times might have been a bit hurt be-
| cause I earned more than he did.
This settlement would prevent any
| thing of the sort.
What about Junior?'' Dick had
asked. Up to this time had paid all
his bills.
tLet me attend to him.
"No! I will pay his tuition and
dress him. You may give him his
spending money, but don't spoil him.
! 'I WON'T! I promised, but immedi-
ately commenced planning what
would do to make him happy; to give
him all that other boys of his age had,
much of which had been necessarily
denied him.
(Tomorrow-Juanfta boasts)