The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-13
THE REVOLT OF
VERA SANDERSON
A BABY NAMED JUNE"
BY JANE PHELPS

"A o<AD1 N<ANlEkO OINL<s
CHAPTER SO.
We returned to town in about a
week. Keith, as knew he would, had
told Margaret my precious secret. Only
once she alluded to it.
Don't act as if you were the only
girl who ever had a baby. Vera. Men
like Keith hate a woman to fuss over
such things"
OF course I did not know just what
Keith had said to her, but made up
my mind 1 would not mention it to
him again-not if died. I know now
that I often blamed my husband when
he did not deserve it-because I dis
liked Margaret so, all she said took
been said by another.
'Shall we go to housekeeping this
fall, Keith?" I asked one day shortly
after we returned to town.
mo. Why do you ask that?"
"Why, I thought-now that-we
will have baby you would want a home
of our own" I finished desperately.
81 don't see the need for any
change"
Recalling what Margaret had said
about men like Keith hating a woman
to fuss over SUCH things, 1 said no
more. But for the first time thoughts
of what was coming brought me no
joy.
But I forgot all my unhappiness in
the long months before my baby came,
when they laid her in my arms. Ny
baby was a girl. I had my wish. 1
was perfectly happy as cuddled the
tiny form up close to me.
The months before her birth had
been hard ones for me-constant
fault-finding by Margaret, spying al
ways into what 1 bought, the money
I spent for pretty things, laces and
materials, tale-bearing to Keith, and
hardest of all the making fun of me
She did this before others as we'll
To Mrs. De Isle she said:
"Of course Vera knows it all now,
no one can tell her anything. You'd
think she was dressing a doll. People
nowadays don't fuss up child in
iaces."
mo, they are more sensible. But
remember when Irene was born you
made a lot of fuss over her."
could have Rugged Mrs. De Isle,
much as I feared her. Since had
been unable to go out Margaret had
included her in nearly every outing
she and Keith took. Had it not been
for Gloria and Irene, 1 would nave
been terribly depressed and lonely.
But they were so pleased that they
were to have a little cousin that
found much of the sympathy and love
1 craved.
I called my little girl June" Mar
garet laughed at me for choosing sucp
a name, but Keith told her it was
mothers right to name the girls
IF ever we have son, snail
name him." he added.
I never could understand Marga-
ret's reason. but I sometimes Won
dered il she would have liked the
baby named for her even tho she dis
liked me, the mother. She used to
w a the / had
chosen.
once I said to Keith-it was when
June was about two months old, and
cunning-"Why does Margaret seem
to dislike baby's name so intensely?
Every one else seems to think it such
a pretty name"
s'She was disappointed that her only
brothers child was not named for
her. I was going to insist upon it, but
saw how your heart was fixed upon
June, which is a very pretty name, so
I said nothing"
L felt like saying: THANK God!
but I made no reply. I could not
have called her Margaret.
1t does not seem possible that low
ing her as 1 did, anything could have
taken away my joy in my baby, but 1t
was So Not that I loved her less. but
I had so little to say about her. Mar
garet interfered in everything did or
wished to do, from the clothing to the
baths and outings. She gave orders
to the nurse, orders opposed to those
had given
at is my house." I heard her say
when the nurse demurred at some-
thing. you will do as say or leave"
The nurse left, and Margaret hired
a Sour-faced older woman who treat
ed me as if I was an absolute idiot,
and who went to Margaret for orders
about the simplest thing.
"Oh, Erma, If only 1 could have a
home of my own!" walled one day
when she came to see me. Just a lit
tie place where I could have my baby
and Keith to myself"
perhaps you will some day." as
\ usual she tried to comfort me.
, mo, never shall. Not as long as
Margaret lives. I thought perhaps
she might get married, but am dis
couraged about that. Keith is just
like having a husband about. taking
her out, paying the bills. and every
thing. She doesn't need to marry"
But Keith is her brother. She
might love someone and want to
marry because OF that love-
"She isn't capable of loving any one
but Keith" I really believed Marga-
ret cared more for him than for her
| children, or parents.
(Tomorrow-Vera determines to be
tactful.)