The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-09
CHAPTER XVIII.
Margaret Makes Trip TO Boston.

Hortense's careless insinuauon
her repetition OF her fathers
thoughtless remark, had left
thoughts, disturbing TO both Joan
and Margaret. To Joan for the
first time had come the possibility
of anyone save herself meaning any
thing to Margaret; to Margaret they
had emphasized Craig Forester 3
attentions, kept him in her mind,
the coming years.
II Joan. after the manner OF
young things, seemed TO forget after
"A few days, she nevertheless had
been made aware of a menace to
her happiness which would spring
into life at the least disturbing word.
But Margaret could not forget,
try as she would. II seemed a bit
strange to her that never before had
the thought Of second marriage
occurred to her OF course she
knew that many widows far older
than she married again. and were
very happy. But to her marriage
had meant so little Simply a con-
tinuance OF her mothers regime.
Had It not been for Joan she never
would have felt she had been mar
ried at all. Often she would forget
incidents that had happened I'm the
short year she lived with him-and
her mother. What she recalled was
the long evenings spent in the library
where her husband and mother
discussed things OF not the slight
est hterest TO her; or played chess,
untll seeing her yawn, they would
send her off to bed while they con-
tinued the game.
Now she took to analyzing the
I m a hsYfA An of IR gl Ia. L .
MIR. and Mrs Thompson, Hortense's g
parents, MIR. and Mrs. Freeman.
father and mother OF Gloria. The
Frost's, whose boy, Malcolm, she
! liked so well now that sne watched
closely. Everyone OF the women
were n bit older than she, yet how
young and gay they were at home
IN their families. All but Mrs.
! Thompson who was very dignified,
yet who seemed TO enjoy her hus-
bands nonsense.
They aren't any young or any
! better looking than | am" she apos-
I troph!sed 10 her reflection in the
mirror. No, they aren't as good
l looking, when l dress as ! wish |
dared dress.
[ That word expressed Margaret s
attitude. She did not dare, and be
cause OF Joan. Not only did she
not dare to dress and comb her hair
I as she pleased, but she did not dare
| let Joan feel that would entertain
a thought OF changing her life in any
way. The look on the Child's face
when she came home after listening
I to Hortense's gossip was constantly
( before her. The threat to jump into
/ the river, or take poison IL ever any
one should come to live with them
/ had been made with such intensity
/ that Margaret shudderod every time
she thought of It.
/ NO, ! never should dare!" she
said positively.
She had had no more trouble with
! Mrs. Corey, yet she was otter
/ shocked at JOan's ideas. so naivelS
I expressed, and wondered II sh,
| voiced them at school to her mates
There was not trace OF self-con-
sciousness In Joan. Her naturalness
her perfect frankness and her hon,
Z esty, were her greatest attraCtiO
she could not endure affectation ir
anyone. even her dearest girl friends
any more than she could stand foI
a "smarty" boy--her especial de
tesiation.
She very naturally looked for th'
same frankness, the same honesty a,
she gavG--especially from hel
mother.