The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-14
THE NEW
GENERATION
By JANE PHELPS
JOAN is WORRIED.
By JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER Al.

CHAPTER Al
The Christmas holidays following
Joan's sixteenth birthday were spent
at home. Mrs. Walters and Ted had
come on for week, and both Mar
garet and Joan had planned to make
their visit as pleasant as possible.
Malcolm Frost, Lonnie Carpenter,
Gloria Freeman, Hortense Thompson
and other young friends of Joan's
joined with her in giving Ted Walters
a good time.
Margaret, engrossed with her older
guest, while not oblivious of the
younger people, did not spend the
time with them she usually did, and
which she would have done had Mrs.
Walters not taken her time and at
tention.
Joan had given a small dance.
Everything had gone off nicely, and
Margaret was surprised when Joan
came into her room the next morning
even earlier than usual, altho she had
not gone to bed until very late.
what is it, dear? Do you feel
i'll ?" she asked as Joan snuggled under
the bed clothes beside her.
mo, Mumsie! But I'm worried"
"Worried?" Margaret repressed a
smile. She knew she would hear some
thing Interestingly Joan, worried
Mumsie, I can't tell to save my life
which one I like best, even if I did let
them both kiss me-
Margaret held her breath for fear
she could not repress an exclamation
of dismay. Joan was no longer
child, she was 16.
80 you thought you could tell
which one you liked best if you let
them both kiss you
? "Um-um-and kissed back, too,
but I'm Just as much up tree as l
was before. You see suppose shall
-Se,5 n nv W.
girl ought to be engaged, and how is
a girl to tell which one of the boys
she wants to be engaged or married
to if she doesn't let them kiss her?
Mr.. Thompson kisses Mrs. Thompson
every time he goes away, and comes
back. I think it is awfully silly. but
Hortense said he forgot it once and
her mother felt so badly she had hys-
terics. She doesn't seem such silly
person, does she %
What name to allude TO SO dignl,
fled a woman as Mrs. Thompson
Margaret replied convulsed, and glad
of an excuse to laugh
That's just why she deserves the
name! Think of a woman who won't
allow a great big girl like Hortense
any freedom crying to be kissed.
you haven't told me yet which
two of the boys you let kiss you,"
Margaret reminded. st
why Malcolm and Ted of course!"
why not Lonnie or Clarence? 2"
"They are all right-nice boys
enough, but I never could think of
marrying either of them"
But I thought you wanted to go
to college"
Perhaps I would rather get mar
ried-hut don't know. Anyway,
going to college wouldn't make any
difference with being engaged. 1t
would sort of keep me steady to wear
an engagement ring, don't you think,
Mumsie ?"
DO you need steadying. dear?'
Eyes, I rather guess I door
would, in college. I am bound to be
no obnoxious egotism in Joan's calm
statement It was is if she were simply
stating a self-evident fact.
well, which one is it going to be,
Malcolm or Ted? ?"
That's just it, Mumsie! didn't
very much care about being kissed
by either of them. Malcolm acted
afraid, as If I'd melt or fade away
and Ted was too rough-I don't mean
really rough, but he kissed me too
Cave-naan stuff, 1 suppose. I guess
I'll wait and try someone else, some
one who isn't too afraid, or too sure"
THAT wouldn't be a bad idea"
Maragret felt relieved.
''But then won't have ring. The
moral erect or an engagement ring
isn't to be overlooked, Mumsie.''
perhaps not-but why not think
it over until spring. You won't enter
college until next fall-if you still
want to go. and there will be plenty
of time to buy a ring during the sum
mer'' That moral effect" had been
almost too much for Margaret.
"Good idea, Murnsie! Sometimes
you are really brilliant!''
(Tomorrow-Mrs. Walters urges Mar
gatet to dress becomingly.)