The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-09
THE REVOLT OF
VERA SANDERSON
VERA SEEKS ADVICE AT LAST.
BY JANE PHELPS

VERA SEEKS ADVICE AT LAST.
Chapter 90.
| The thought that I was wrongine
Keith caused me some pangs of con-
! science. Supposing I could not be
| happy with him and live with Mar
garet, had I the right to leave him,
not let him know whether I was
dead or alive when he might live
| happily with someone else?
Keith was still young man. Had
right to expect he would keep
faith with woman who had volun-
knowledge of her whereabouts?
I worried over this phase of what
I had done until I nearly made my
self i'll again. Mrs. Aldrich noticed
and one day said:
"Can I help, dear child? If can
| and you want to tell me what is
| troubling you, do So"
mot now. I can't make up my
mind-sone day, perhaps" and ]
fled to my room weeping bitterly:
/ An awakened conscience, especially
| under such influences is not easily
| Quieted, as I found out.
For days my thought vacillated.
Should I confide in her? Or should
It is said that "a clear conscience
can bear any trouble; also had
heard Father Sanderson quote in
quaint Scotch dialect:
Nae whip cuts sac sharp as the
lash o. conscience"
I was, for the first time, to appre-
ciate what he meant.
My conscience gave me no rest.
Mrs. Aldrich, / must tell you
even if you send me away" said
to her. st can keep still no longer.
I can't sleep, and I don't know what
to do. what ought to do
"And you think I can help your
If I can, surely will.
I commenced at the very begin
ming. I told of my home life, of
our genteel middle class poverty
that hardest poverty in the world
because it always Is trying to mas
querade as something different
told of Keiths wooing, of our mar
riage, of my love and my happiness
Then I told of the home he took
me to. That I was ready to be
pleased, contented, and happy.
Ready to love the sister of whom
he was so fond. Then told of my
reception, of the jealousy, the sneers.
the embarrassments, the way I was
belittIed 1 told also of father and
mother Sanderson, how good they
were, how much loved them; of
make my life bearab1e. Lastly. I
told her all I-felt toward Margaret;
all she had done.
THAT is a peculiar love we seldom
see between brother. and sister, a self
ish. unreasoning love- Mrs. Aldrich
spoke sympathetically, "a love that
would be bound to make wife I'M
happy if obliged to live where she
saw evidences of it every day. Do not
condemn yourself for disliking the po-
sition in which you were placed, dear
child, almost every woman would feel
mi ~ez&f @r@ 4cy
did you do all that was possible to
better the condition? Then-should
you have taken this final step in Sc
crecy? If you were right. why run
away? Why not stay and face the
music?" She smiled at me.
"YOu meant Stamm cred, "tO
stay, talk it out, and then leave him ?''
"Yes-if you must. Isn't it rather
cowardly to run away when you feel
you are right"
'I suppose it is. 1 never had
thought of that"
"Of course you hadn't! But, dear
child, you love your husband. 1t
makes you unhappy to think some
one else may take your place in his
affections, his life. Isn't that love
strong enough to let you face the mu-
sic as they say; strong enough to fight
it out right on the ground?"
my love perhaps would be strong
enough If it were only Keith I had
to fight" I replied slowly. But can
not fight Margaret. She Is SO much
older, so much more a woman of the
world than I am, she has Keith So
well-under her thumb. that I have
neither the strength or the courage to
fight her"
Suppose we let It drop for a few
days, let me think about it?" Mrs.
Aldrich said. ct knew there was
something. I was sure you had done
no real wrong. Wait-perhaps we
may find a way OUT
"Oh. hope sol" AMI with the re-
si1iency of youth, I. having thrown
my pack of trouble upon her shout
ders, felt immessurably relieved, al
most sure. that now everything would
come out all right.
Not until had told Mrs. Aldrich
everything did I get relief from the
unwelcome thoughts that had fol-
| lowed, that had chung to me ever since
she had made the casual remark that
I'VE had no right to add to q fellow
creatures unhappiness If we could
avoid it.''
Now came the reaction. I had shift
ed my troubles to one SO much wiser
than I. I would await her decision.
Would do as she advised?
Il