The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-08
THE NEW
GENERATION
MARGARET DISCOVERS A WAY
NO HEIP.
By JANE PHELPS
|" HEIR.
Chapter SIS.

Margaret attended a lecture fol-
lowed by a reception. When she was
introduced to a clever looking woman,
a Mrs. Drake, she was taken aback 10
hear:
"Can it be that you are related to
Miss Joan Hayden?'
She is my daughter"
81 never have met her, but she was
pointed out to me as one of our COM
ing journalists. But she is-excuse
me, Mrs. Hayden, you look so very
young. Is she your own daughter ?'
my very own!" Margaret had
flushed becomingly at the compli-
ment, always SO welcome to her. Then
she said: Joan has great hopes of
succeeding. 1 hope she will not be
disappointed" To herself she added:
The deari Trying to be economical
ly independent when it isn't at all nee
essary.'
sent Hannah off early to clean the lit
tie studio in the Square.
Don't hurry, Hannah! Hang
around and cook her something
good" had been her instructions.
Scarcely an hour had elapsed when
Hannah returned.
ttShe wouldn't let me do one single
thing!" she sputtered Grossly. Not
a thing! She just pushed me out and
told me to run on home as if 1 was six
instead of sixty years old. She was
poundin' that typewriter like she was
mad at 1t. 1t won't last her long at
that rate. She looked tired too. When
I told her so she just told me to run
along and keep my mouth shut, that
I'd be tired too if I had been up most
all night writing. And she was
smol1in' too"
Smoking? thought she had
given that up"
$50 did I and I said so. Goodness,
but I thought she'd bite me, she an
sWered up so quick like that she could
write better when she smoked only
she burned holes in all her clothes
because she wasn't very used to hold
ing a cigaret in her mouth when both
hands were busy, and so she forgot
and the hot ashes fell in her lap and
burned her dresses and her legs"
what a girl! oh Hannah, I wish
she had let you clean up for her. Was
it terribly dirty?"
Not so awful but what have seen
worse. But it could have stood a lit
tie cleanin' just the same"
"Oh, deari"
Don't worry I'll go down there
some day when she's out and scrub
it good for her. There's no use trying
when she's there. She won't let me,
and the way she bangs that typewriter
I couldn't anyway"
I'm afraid she'll make herself sick
working so hard"
"'Twould be the best thing that
could happen. Then we'd have to take
care of her. She couldn't help her
self" With which cold comfort Han
nah hurried off to her kitchen.
Margaret wept with disappointment
To think that Joan wouldn't allow
to help her do even the rough
work. 1t was dreadful-and then,
too, it made her feel guilty. Here
she was living in luxury, with Hannah
to wait upon her and baby her, while
her daughter, her baby, had set up
her independence and was living the
life of a poor girl
Craig Forester, of course, knew
that Margaret was fretting and kept
reminding her that he loved her by
sending her flowers, candy, and books
or magazines at regular intervals.
TIL catch her on the rebound" he
said to himself "She's a bit lonely
and worried and perhaps it may make
her think more kindly of my loneH-
ness"
Margaret took to dropping in on
Joan at unexpected times. She knew
Joan did not want her, that sooner or
later she would probably say so. But
until that time came Margaret could
book and read for an hour while Joan
pounded the keys of her typewriter
with a frenzy that threatened to ruin
the machine, then she would quietly
go.
But one day she picked up some of
the loose sheets from the floor. where
Joan always flung them when she
drew them from the machine, and
commenced to read. Then she reached
over and took a pencil from the desk.
a word she corrected the
pages as she took them from the floor
a thesaurus lay on the desk, and she
quietly looked up an occasional word
to correct the spelling or to insert a
synonym.
'"Thank you. AIumsie, That's real
help-that article has got to go out
tonight"
us it sold ?" wide-eyed, Margaret
inquired. She had been surprised at
It's excellence.
''No-but I have 'opes."
(Tomorrow-Joan sells a story and |
cooks a meal)