The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-26
THE REVOLT OF
VERA SANDERSON
ny JANE PHELPS
BY JANE PHELPS



You go UP to bed early and leave
me with Keith" Mother said after
dinner on the day before we were to
go back to town. Keith had come
down that morning.
I did as she told me, and altho re-
manned awake for hours-it seemed
Keith had not come up when I fell
asleep. He looked tired in the morn
ing, and there were dark shadows I'M
der his eyes. But said nothing. I
would wait to hear what Mother had
to say.
imagined neither had slept much.
Anxiously I waited until Keith left
for the factory.
ST fear I have alienated Keith and
to no purpose" mother remarked in
reply to my question. He told me, as
he did before, that he had given Mar
garet his promise and that he never
would break it, that ne would live
with her as long as she wanted him.
He also said, dear, that you never
tried to get along with Margaret
that you resented her love for him"
IT do! And his for her! It isn't
natural that man should always put
his sister, her feelings. before his wife.
do resent 1t, mother-that and all
the other things told you about We
would be SO happy-Keith. baby and !.
il we could be by ourselves Slow
tears fell down my cheeks. Mother
had failed.
Don't be discouraged, dear. some
thing may happen to change him. I
will talk to Margaret. 1 haven't much
hope it will do any good, but I will
see if can get her to release him
from his promise"
I'm the stories it is always the
motheF-in-law that makes the sons
wife unhappy" I tried to joke so that
would not cry, but I never knew
that D. sister-in-law could be worse
than any story ever read about a
motherrin-law. II only I could stay
with you'll"
Then a mother-in-Iaw has no ter
rors for you ?" she smiled.
ror."
went home feeling utterly discour-
aged. Keith said nothing to me about
his talk with his mother. had no
way of knowing if she had told him
had asked her to try and persuade
him to give me a home Of my own.
He was very cool when with me. He
also went out every night when we
would have been alone had he re-
manned at home.
HE is trying to punish me for COM
planning" said to myself.
Then Mother SandeFson passed
away. I was heart-broken. dearly
loved the old lady; and her passing
leIt me- L6IflDlV alone. L now ldd no
one to whom I could go, no place to
visit where Margaret was not with
me. Keith grieved for his mother
openly. but if Margaret felt her loss
she did not show it.
she is hard as nails told Erma
Longstfeet, then said: IF it wasn't
for you, Erma, I think I should go
mad, You are the only person who
knows and sympathizes with me.
Everyone seems to think it SO wonder
full to have SO nice home as have
and no care. Why I'd rather scrub
the floors and have a place just be-
longing to me than to live the way I
do"
We were again inamourning, Mar
garet. without even speaking to me,
had made an appointment with Keith,
and they had gone down in the coun-
try and rented a place for the sum-
mer. The house was much smaller
than our own house, fewer rooms. SO
would not have as much privacy as
had in town. When I objected on
this score Margaret had said with a
sneer:
You think you must be humored
because mother humered you" Mrs,
Sanderson had left me $4,000 in her
will. Margaret had made an awful
time about it, as it was almost as
much as she received. Mother Sanders
son had left Gloria. Irene, and June
each $4,000, Her estate was not
nearly as large as Margaret had be-
lieved. Keith was left the factory and
the business. but times were bad, and
to make it worth while he had to
give it his close attention. I hoped he
would go to Hillsdale to live. but he
sent q manager down, and then went
himself once a week.
I was happy over my legacy, not
only because of the money, but be-
cause it showed mothers love for me.
deposited it in the bank in spite of
Keith's offer to invest it for me.
Perhaps later" I told him, but
want to feel it is mine for a little
while. If it is in the bank know
can get it; that 1t belongs to me. If
you invest it shan't feel that way"
Keith laughed and said:
"All right! But that's q niser's
feeling"
laughed with him, but did not tell
him that the money had made me feel
that if things grew unbearable 1t
meant the way to get awaY-if it was
LETT in the bank. And from the day
the bank book. my first, was placed in
my hands I did not feel so helpless.
(Tomorrew-Sauee for the gander-
sauce for the goose.)