The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-09
THE NEW
GENERATION
MARGARET FACES A NEW
PRORTEM.
BIZ JANE PHELPS


Chapter II.
Almost historical, Margaret dropped
into the vacated hammock. What q
child. So she thought as she re-
called Joan's remark
Malcolm kisses very nicely. Why
don't you kiss Mumsie, Malcolm ?"
Poor MalcolmI" Margaret said
aloud, then once more laughed until
the tears came. But the incident had
quickened in her mind the need of
keeping Joan so sure of her mother
that no idea of Withholding from her
anything that happened would ever
occur to the child.
AREN'T they good?' she asked a
moment later as she Joined Joan and
Malcolm, taking cake in her hand
and munching it as they were doing.
"Um-um-i" was all Malcolm was
capable of. his mouth full.
You must come to see Joan and
me often Malcolm. Hannah makes
lots of goodies We will like to share
with you.
you bet I will! I mean-of course
I will, and thank you, Mrs. Hayden
Margaret laughed with the children
at Malcolm's embarrassment. His
honest, you bet I will" had cleared
the air.
He remained a while longer, while
Joan played and all three sang college
songs. When he left Margaret re-
peated her invitation to come again,
and this time Malcolm answered in a
well hammered way, and again
thanked her.
Left alone with Joan, Margaret ten
tatively remarked:
Malcolm Frost is a nice boy I
like him.
$50 do I. Mumsie. I think perhaps
I will marry him"
You do?"
Eyes. You see must have a father
to earn money. Joan said, referring
to the conversation she had had with
Gloria.
THAT isn't always necessary dear
Nowadays women earn money, too,
especially college girls. If we lived
in pne of the large cities you would
know this, but in small places women
are not so often employed
IF go to college, then I can earn
ther?"
Yes, If when you have finished you
feel that you want to. By that time
you may have changed your mind, or
perhaps we can travel, you and L" 1t
was the first time Margaret had
spoken of the plan so near her heart.
Now suppose we go to bed and leave
the discussion of all these things, until
another time"
"All right, Mumsie! Perhaps I'll
travel with you-but I'm not sure
money"
AS Margaret kissed her goodnight
she wished Gloria had not put the
Idea of father who earned money
into Joan's mind. Joan had evidently
mixed the husband and father relation,
thinking them one and the same.
ooh, well, everything will come out
all right, it is bound to-" she said
aloud, as she turned off the light. Yet
in spite of her expressed belief it was
long before she slept, and when she
did she dreamed of kissing small boys,
swinging in hammocks and eating
cookies. Queer dreams for a woman
as "old'' as she, SO Joan said when she
recounted them at the breakfast table.
For a time Margaret ceased worry
ing about boys. Malcolm Frost in par
ticular. He came often, kissed her and
Joan frankly, swung in the hammock
with the little bobbed head resting on
his shoulder While Margaret sat near.
and usually wound up by eating a
fore he went home.
HE isn't bit smarty, that's why I
let him come" Joan naively remarked,
apropos of nothing.
so you don't like 'smarty' boys? ''
Margaret did not pretend to misunder-
stand.
mo! They're horrid when they
think they are smart l can't bear
them around. Clarence Tobin is that
kind. He's just the freshest thing ever
was. I like Edna (his sister, awfully
WELL but Clarence is the limit. He
asks the foolishest questions. Like
What animal did Moses let go into
the Ark first?' when everybody knows
that Noah built the ark. Then II you
ask him anything like: What's that
you have, Clarence?' when it is per-
haps just a paper with som ething writ
ten on it-he'll say as smarty as can
be: Why, that's bicycle of course!t
I guess if boys knew how such things,
made girls hate them they wouldn't
be SO smarty."
Don't be too hard on the boys,
dear. Perhaps they also see things
about the girls they don't like"
I'VE don't try to be smart! Not one
Of u.s."