The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-05
The Woman
He Married

BY JANE PHELPS

CHAPTER Gu.
A feeling Of thankfulness that we
were all saved crowded out all regret
for other loss. No one had been hurt
seriously, altho dear Mrs. Gray had
sprained her ankle. She knew of a
boarding house near, and Jim and
Clara, the Grays, with US, found rooms
there until we could decide what we
would do.
All my hard work on that house
gone up in smoke!" Dick complained
SO comically We all laughed.
Just as well 1 didn't accept your
offer to plan one for me-" Jim replied.
They saw how nervous and shaken we
women were and tried to help us by
acting as if they. too, weren't almost
as upset as We were.
"Of course. you were insured? ?" It
was Mrs. Gray who spoke to Dick. s
mo. L have talked of it, but kept
that he had spoken to me several times
and that had objected to him using
the money.
You don't mean to say, Williams.
that you had no insurance on your
things" Jim Watson asked.
mot a cent?" Dick answered.
'Well, I am surprised-and sorry.
I would have SWORN you would have
I know you carry life insurance, Hhy
not fire?'
Demonstration" Dick exclaimed,
again shielding me.
It am very sorry" Mrs. Grays gentle
voice broke in.
When Dick left to go to the office l
followed him into the hall.
you will have to make money now,
Dick, lots of it. We can't live in
boarding house, you hate it SO, ara II
will cost lot to buy furniture"
Don't worry, Nan! 1 am SO thank
full I still have you and Junior can
think of nothing else. Look around,
it will keep you from thinking, and see
If YOU can find little furnished apart
ment cheap. I'd go mad in a boarding
house,
If Dicks father hadn't left US that
$1,000 we would have been in an awful
condition. But we had that, and the
$500 we had made-that is, most OF It
1 forgot our debts as I assured tnyscif
we would soon make enough to pay
for furniture, etc, again. And also
planned to buy better, handsoner
things when we did buy. We were on
our way to make our fortune. Inc
fire was a setback, of course, but only
a temporary one-so I figured.
1 found little place before night.
lit was small, and we would De
Icramped But it had nice kitchen,
and Dick could have the things ne
liked, Clara and Jim would remain
in the boarding house until they 1ouho
an apartment. They would re1urnlsi Il
with their insurance money, as Wouio
the Grays.
the furnished apartment was that al
the boarding house we could have SO
little privacy, and I wanted to talk
things over with Dick Clara was a
bit curious and even If Dick had salo
he might put Jim wise to making a
little on the side. knew he did not
want them to know too much of our
affairs.
He brought home big roll OF pa
per and at once started to draw plans
for a home. improving on the ola ones
$50 he claimed
you see. Nan" he said for the
hundredth time. I'VE won't have an
architect to pay SO we can put that
into the house" He forgot that what
he intended to save by being his own
architect had already gone into every
BART of the house from the cellar to
the attic, altho now he proposed TO
put it into a bow window. Neither OF
us had experience enough to know
that a good architect is the very best
asset a young, inexperienced couple
can have when they decide to build a
home. Especially is this SO if they
have but a limited amount to spend.
"We'Il insure to the limit he re-
marked after a while.
81 feel so guilty, Dick" I replied
You would nave Deen lHsuI Gu IL ~
hadn't been for me-"
ut can't be helped now. I should
MT have listened to you, Nan. I knew
it was risky, especially in cheaply
built apartment house. But there S
no use crying over split milk. / saw
Harter today. He's going to open an
account with us. He said it was be
cause L was employed there. The
firm are pleased"
will you make lot because OF
it ?''
THAT depends. But such things
make a fellow solid with the house.
''I hope it will make them advance
your salary. Wen need all we can
get now"
Yet that night we were happier.
less taken up with talk and thoughts
of money. than in many months
That we had been saved seemed to
make all else of no particular signifi-
canoe We petted and loved Junior;
then after he had fallen asleep. we
talked SOFTLY. lovingly. to each other,
until we, too. retired.
fTa he continued