The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-07
THE NEW
GENERATION
JOAN HAS \ NAIVE IDEA OF
~ FATHERS.
By JANE PHELPS
Chapter 8.

Chapter 8.
That in many ways Joan was older
than girls of her age usually are goes
without saying. The freedom given
her. the liberty of action, the uncen-
sored reading all tended to make her
appear older than she was. Margaret
carefully scanned each book pur-
chased but naturally she could not
do so with books Joan borrowed and
read without showing her-not be-
cause she feared interference but SIM
ply because she did not think it worth
while.
At times the girl astonished her
mother by some remark that showed
how thoroly she digested what she
read. Then she would follow it by
her own ideas on the same subject
ideas showing originality to say the
least, If at times they were startlingly
different from those a girl of her age
usually had.
AS Joan grew older Margaret at
times anXiously wondered how far the
child would go in her extreme ideas of
men, women and society. She hated
to have her an extremist while she al
mired her originality. So in order to
combat this inclination, She carefully
excluded from her conversation any
thing that might increase exaggera ted
ideas of these subjects. Mrs. Thomp-
son said:
Hayden, so ultra-conventional herself,
can allow Joan such freedom" Joan
never seemed to note this disparity in
her mother. She never camouflagsd
her talk in the least. A. times Marga-
ret had all she could do to control her
features, not to look the amazeme mt
she. felt at Joan's frankness.
Then one day Gloria Freeman, who
was spending Saturday afternoon with
Joan, gave her another, a new cause
for not really anxiety, but wonder as
to how Joan would approach the new
problem of sex.
Joan is the only girl the boys look
look at when she is around" Gloria
declared. I'VE are all jealous of
That isn't my fault" calmly Joan
replied.
What makes you think Joan more
popular than the rest of you?" Mar
garet smiled at Gloria. Her question
was casual, yet she was anxious for
the reply.
They like her best I guess because
| she says such different things. She is
always saying bright things, and tell
ing them stories of things she las
read. never read lots of the things
she talks about. Mother won't let nc.
she says I am not old enough to un-
derstand them"
"Bosh!' Joan broke in. people
make me tired. 1 guess we under
stand more than they think we do.
I'm glad I wasn't born when you were.
Mumsie. Mothers must have been so
unknowing in those times Perhaps
fathers too. I often wonder what
fathers are really like. OF course /
! know Gloria's father, and Hortense's
and one or two others, but 1 only have
a sort of how-do-do knowledge of
| them. Do fathers make much differ
ence to a girl?"
st guess we wouldn't have much
money il it weren't for dad" Gloria
replied, shaking her bobbed head at
Joan. Fathers earn the money you
know. Joan"
Did my father earn the money we
/ are spending, Munster
| Most of it. yes, joan"
Then we are just as well off as
if he had lived, If earning money is
what fathers are for
Margaret laughed. Afterward she
I told Mrs. Freeman of this speech OF
! Joan's and said:
! IF my life had depended upon II
1 could not have helped laughing
| I never have talked much of her
| father to Joan. I was married sc
short a time. and she was so tiny
when he died Really. had not sc