The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-08
THE NEW
GENERATION
By JANE Phelps
JOAN SITS THRU AN UNCO8f-
PORTABLE DINNER.
Chapter 81.


"By Jove, Margaret, you are stun
ningl" Craig Forester said as he
came in, followed by Mrs. Walters.
Margaret glanced at Joan. Her
daughters face was almost fearful.
How de do, Joan?" Mrs. Walters
kissed the girls cheek. then Craig
Forester greeted her. To him she
gave a look that said as plainly as
words:
You're to blame for what my
mother is doing, and I dislike you
more than ever"
Margaret saw the look, and she felt
a little qualm for what she knew her
young do suffer under such circum-
stances.
Mrs. walters drew Joan to one side
isn't your mother a wonder?" she
asked.
II don't understand" Joan eaid
again. It seemed all she was capable
of saying.
what don'tsyou understand"
"Why she left Wollcot; what she is
doing here-like this" Joan's glance
took in the room, Margaret, her
| clothes, everything.
There's nothing to understand,
Joan. Margaret was bored to death
after you left, so she came to New
York to play around a bit. The the
aters, and other amusements, you
know"
But this-this apartment"
wasn't it fortunate she could rent
such a darling place? It is a perfect
setting for her beauty. I tell her it
was built and furnished expressly for
her. And isn't she young and lovely .?
Those clothes she used to wear made
her a sight, Janet Walters was do
! ing her part WELL if one were to judge
by the look on Joan's face.
Il never thought my mother a
sight"
mo, she couldn't be! She's too
lovely. But isn't she far more attrac-
tive now than she used to be, and in
such short time too?"
Il don't know don't like it--any
| of it. Why didn't she let me know
Her letters came from Wollcot." Still
bewildered.
Margaret interrupted.
Dinner you twoI What are you, so
serious about?" she presented Joan
to two other guests who had Just ar
rived, and then led the way to the
dining room leaning on Craig For
| rester's arm. She placed Joan at the
farther end of the table, where she
could see her. but not talk with her,
George Watson, a young lawyer, on
one side, and Mrs. Walters on the
other.
The dinner was one long torture to
Joan. She watched her mosher@her
young mother scintillate and sparkle,
she saw Craig Forrester's devotion,
openly eXpresseds When Watson spoke
she answered at random, and felt
angry when he mentioned her moth
er's youth, and intimated that she,
Joan, was only a child.
In the charming living room Mar
garet drew Joan to her.
You will have to run along now,
dear, we are going on to the theater.
Hannah will ride home with you. The
taxi is here
"But-mother!'
run along now! Wei see each
. other often. I'll come up to see how
you are fixed tomorrow-no the day
after-I have luncheon engagement
tomorrow, and a theater at night. 1
won't have a minute but the day after
I'll surely look you up" The seeming
| Indifference of her mother almost
took Joan's breath away; almost made
her overlook the fact that she was
being sent home like a naughty child
while her mother. old enough to know
better was going to have a good time.
AS it had happened twice before
that evening, Joans face became al
most fearful. She gulped back a sob
as Hannah waited in the doorway, her
instructions to follow out the plan her
mistress had outlined in her talk with
Joan. Margaret mistrusted Joan
would question old Hannah.
There, dear, We will see each
other often now that 1 am living in
New York" Margaret comforted as she
folded Joan in her arms, and kissed
| her fondly. Because she wanted her
daughter to understand that she Mar
garet, had regained her youth, was
no reason she shouldn't also under
stand that her affection was un-
changed, that she loved her as de-
votedly as ever.
| (Tomorrow-A tete-a-tete with Craig
Forrester.)