The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-25
THE REVOLT OF
VERA SANDERSON
A HOME WITH SISTER.
BY JANE PHELPS

When L married Keith SanderSOn
we went to live with his widowed
equally in the expenses of the home,
altho she had two children, girls of
eight and ten. Upon the death of her
husband seven years before, Keith
had given up his bachelor apartment
and gone with her.
1T would break her heart to have
me leave her now" he had said when
we discussed our plans.
L recall what she said when Keith
first took me to call upon her after
we had become engaged. He had said
something about going to housekeep-
ing by ourselves.
"Oh, L couldn't think of letting you
leave me, Keith" she had exclaimed
dispairingly. 81 have to give up lots
of things other people have is it is
less it is lived decently. I couldn't
entertain alone"-she neglected to say
she couldn't entertain in the extrava-
CANT way she did when he paid the
bills-''and to live like a hermit,
never seeing ones friends, ought! Ia
rather die. The pleasure I get from
my friends, entertaining them, and
being entertained in return, is all I
have in the world except you and the
children, dear You can't realize how
thankful I am that I have you. The
children are dears, but no company
for me YETI
At the time I thought her rather
sweet and sisterly.
had been the youngest of large
family, SO had grown up believing
the part of a young girl was meek
ness and Difference to her elders.
had been the Cinderella of the house
hold So as L was mot accustomed
to asserting myself at home, I did
not assert myself now. I was very
much in love with Keith, SO 1 made
no objection to anything he proposed.
L knew little of housekeeping was
only 10, aud not long out of school
or of the management of servants
To tell the truth, was rather pleased
that | would have no cares, no re-
sponsibilities.
1 thought we would be very COM
Portable in the rooms Keith had oc-
cupied, the entire second floor of the
house, a brown stone one in the West
SOS overlooking the park He had
them done over and refurnished when
we. became engaged. I learned later
that Margaret had objected, that she
had considered the old furniture good
enough. But, fortunately, 1 had ex-
pressed my pleasure when Keith had
told me he was going to refurnish,
and he would not disappoint me.
1 knew that Margaret Dalton OBJ
| jected to her brother marrying. She
and her children had been keith's
first thought until he met me. think
Sn0 rdInef JnOuSnC ne WOULD Always
remain a bachelor because she made
him so comfortable.
I will give her the credit due her
even now. She ran the house and
managed the servants wonderfully.
Her dinners were perfect, her taste
were always beautifully dressed
learned later, on Keith's money, altho
she had a stable income of her own.
After I had lived with her for
awhile, I was not surprised that she
had objected to Keith's marriage. She
was extravaganza, selfish, thought only
of herself, her own pleasure. She re-
scented every slightest thing he did for
me even during the first days of our
marriage.
Keiths parents, dear old couple,
had welcomed me cordially. but they
| lived in a manufa curing town in New
I Jersey, so I saw but little of them.
| Keith's father was the president of a
large manufacturing company, a de-
| lightfully old-fashioned sort. whom I
took to at once. His mother was a
retiring, modest old lady, sweet and
simple. Had we lived with them, I
am sure I would have been far hap
pier in spite of the old idea that
mothers-in-law are disturbers of hap
! piness.
While we were engaged. and for a
| little while after our marriage, Keith
devoted himself entirely to me, was
an ideal companion-fondo of pleasure,
/ as was I, in love with life and passion
ately in love with me-if one could
| Judge by his talk and actions.
I had no intention of settling down
into a staid matron even if Keith was
almost ten years older than 1. When
I said so to him he replied:
81 don't want you to settle down., l
want you to enjoy life with me and
be happy"
He meant e. ap1 e11ro vet of
! that he did made for my unha ppiness.
But I was slow in realizing this. slow
in seeing all my rights as a wife taken
/ from me.
! (Tomorrow-vera sees how things
| will go)