The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-08
THE NEW
GENERATION
JOAN COMPLIMENTS HER
MOTHER.
By JANE PHELPS
CHATTER IS.


Margaret Hayden looked at her re-
Election in the small mirror atop the
old-fashioned bureau in the hotel
room. AS she had before, she now
quivered with delight at what she saw.
Her hair softly dressed, little tendrils
curling in her neck and about her
face. Her shining eyes, the flush
coming and going in her cheeks. in
trigued her. Then her dress! Neck
and shoulders, white and smooth as a
young girls, rising from the soft rose
chiffon and gray lace of her gown.
Forty isn't old-very." she said.
smiling at her image, then laughing
aloud as it smiled back.
If only she could escape before
Joan came in! But
ST won't be a coward-1'u wait for
her." she declared, sitting down by the
window thru which she could see the
path to the ocean.
She had turned out the light, and
after a time she found herself dream
ing as she looked out at the stars and
the young moon just coming up.
Dreaming of what life might have
been had she married young man
instead of an old one like John Hay
den. If she had married him and he
had lived-they had lived their lives
together!
Suddenly she realized keenly that
she had missed not only companion
snip, Out love. OAG D4uEnSd at the
thought. She knew that in the ac-
cepted meaning of the word she had
missed it always. That love between
man and woman was now, always had
been, q sealed book to her.
Shall I never know she muir
INJURED. covering both her hot cheeks
with her hands. Must I always be
satisfied to go on like this?"
A quick step, an outflung door and
Joan was in the room.
Hello! What you sitting in the
dark for?" she called.
Waiting for you, dear. dressed,
then it was such a lovely night that I
put out the lights so could see the
stars. Come-here-see that moon, it is
like some young beautiful girl grow
ing up, but just in the halfway stage.
so white and innocent in its half
grown state.''
1T is lovely! I saw it down on the
beach"
Did you have a good time. dear?"
Lovely! Ted Walters-that's that
blonde boy you saw in the water
asked me to play tennis tomorrow
morning"
''Fine!" Margaret said with enthusi-
asm. II do so love to have you enjoy
yourself" she added. If there was a
bit of diplomacy in her enthusiasm it
could not be wondered at. You play
very well, JOAN"
Yes. my game is fair one. He's
awfully nice"
He who?" Margarets thoughts
"Why, Ted Walters. of counsel"
"He would be nice or you would not
have cared for him" Again diplomacy
might have been suspected.
81 like him almost better than any
boy I know-unless it is Malcolm
Frost. He isn't a bit foolishl One of
his chums is, and don't like him a
bit. Always trying to say smart things,
and acting up"
Margaret knew Craig Forester was
waiting, wondering why she did not
come down. but she would not disturb
Joan's condolences.
WAS that his mother, that pretty
woman in pale lavender I saw talking
yes. Isn't she lovely? She looks
like a piece of Dresden china. said
so. and it tickled Ted to DEATH
Children usually like to hear their
bered and she hoped Joan did also,
the night when Gloria Freeman and
Malcolm Frost had told her she looked
lovely in Joan's rose sweater. Time
to go. I asked the maid to stay with
you until you were in bed, and then
to remain outside until came up"
''Oh, forgot! It's the BALL"
eyes. Tell me if I looked nice-as
well as Ted Walters's mother will?
expect she will look wonderfully young
and lovely. She did even in her beach
dress
TITS that ghost dress, isn't it?''
Joan queried soberly.
Eyes. Do you like it? Do look
nice ?'' The yearning in Margaret's
voice must have reached Joan.
"You look perfectly beautiful, Mum
sic! Better than Mrs. Walters-and
that's going some, I'll tell the world
Thank you, Joan. I would rather
you would compliment me than any
one in the world" Margaret meant it
And she forgot to notice the slang
in which the compliment had been
couched.
CTo be continued.)
II hist FOLKS