The Topeka state journal., 1921-12-02
THE NEW
GENERATION
JOAN EXPLAINS WHY SHE CAN
NOT LIVE WITH MARGARET.
BIZ JANE PHELPS
Chapter So.

NOT LIVE WITH MARGARET.
Chapter SO.
Have you enjoyed yourself, Joan?"
Margaret asked after Ted had gone. 81
saw you liked the play"
Wasn't it just perfect, Mumsiel 1
love such a play. 1t leaves one happier
somehow. And it was nice in you to
| bring Ted back with US. Wasn't he
funny helping get the supper?"
Yes, he's" Margaret stopped
abruptly. She knew human nature too
well, also Joan's, to praise too high
ly so she finished, hes like all boys,
ready to eat"
II think he improves as you know
him." Joan unused, as she prepared
for bed. He has the college boys
egOtIsm of course they all seem to
than boys who don't have their chance
to go to college. That's all it is,
Mumsie. One has a chance in this
world, the other doesn't/ We have
no way of knowing but that the one
who doesn't have a chance would be
smarter, better, more clever than the
one who does if they changed places -
I guess you are right, Joan. but
1t is late even for us to talk of in
teresting subjects. Hustle into bed,
dear. What do you want for break
fast? Waffles again?"
'Of course. And fruit and hot
gingerbread, and a lot of good things
tell Hannah, please" her voice trail
ing off as she fell asleep
What a child in some things her
mother said looking down at the girl
lsh face framed in its golden curls.
I wonder if she would consent to
stay with me if I asked herr"
Say Mumsie," Joan said at break
fast. three of us girls have started
a little restaurant down in the village
serve dinner as well. l wish you
would bring your crowd down there
some night. 1t would please them
and help them, too.'
Why. of course, I will!' Then:
Il wish you belonged with my crowd
as you call them. 1t would be nice to
have you live here with me, JOAN"
Margaret did not realize how wistful
was her voice, or the longing in her
eyes
What nonsense! How can girl
be free agent and live with rela-
But I'm your mother! I'm not a
relative"
Don't know you are my mother!
You've told me that two or three times
lately. Are you afraid 1 shall forget
I have mother?" Joan's tone was
belligerent, but her eyes smiled. you
see, Mumsie, it would be utterly i'm
possible for me to stand the conven-
tIonal way you live. You would be
sure to be shocked when Dean came
in and danced me about the room
until was out of breath, or Rex Tay-
lor grabbed me and told me between
kisses what he had been doing, or
when some of the girls sat on the
floor cross-legged like a Turk and
smoked and told stories. I can't just
picture you in that atmospheric
'Is it really necessary for your
friends to be quite so demonstrative? ?"
her mother queried.
That's just it, Your question shows
you don't understand me, us, little
bit! OF course it isn't necessary for
people to do anything but eat and
sleep. And it is the way in your
world for people to act like wooden
Indians, never show any emotion, any
feeling. Why, Mumsie, I would rather
be the biggest nut I know than to live
the life of repression you and other
people do"
But I don't, Not now. 7 do all
the things I want to, dear. go to the
theater. I dance, visit the restau-
rants, am a giddy creature"
You do all those things but you do
them just as everyone does them-and
you should. You'd look lovely dancing
on the table, like Toots Warner did
the other night. but it was all right
for Toots to do it. No one thought
of criticising her. Could she have
done it here? You bet she couldn't!
These are extreme cases perhaps,
Mumsie, but you can see after living
a Bohemian life I couldn't possibly
settle down to the cut and dried life
I would have to live as Mrs. Margaret
Hayden's daughter. Now I am Joan
Hayden. Few people even bother with
anything but Joan, or Jo-too much
trouble. They know my ideas about
freedom; expressing ones own per-
sonality, and so on. They know am
happy when they do as they like, and
that I claim the same privilege. This
is a different generation. Mumsie-
might as well recognize it,
81 do"Sgroaned Margaret. Good
ness knows I do
Tomorrow Ted Walters asks Joan to
marry him.)