The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-12
The Woman
He Married
nv raAfr, nxrrr NC
NAN STRUGGLES ALONE.
BY JANE PHELPS

| NAN STRUGGLES ALONE.
CHAPTER 90.
After Dick left I gave way to such
an extent thai had it not been for
mother, who came over to bid him
goodbye, I should have collapsed. but
she kept telling me I must be brave
for his sake, that he now depended
upon me, and that If failed him he
would surely die.
So took up the struggle for all of
US, Dick. Junior. and myself. because
there was no one else to whom we
could turn. Mother loved us, was
willing to do all she could, but she
had only enough to live on, and so was
unable to help US financially. I knew
if could make enough to go to Dick
that Junior would be safe with her.
that he would receive the best of care.
But beyond that she could not help
me. So I tried to put my grief, my
fears, away. and attend to my bust
ness.
But in spite Of all my efforts. 1t was
many days before could do my work
in the same old way had used to do
it when Dick was at home. Thoughts
of him. fears for him. constantly OBJ
truded between me and the tasks set
myself. 1t was only by saying con-
stantIy: t'It is for him. that was able
to accomplish anything. But grad
ua1ly saw the futility Of this, and de-
ltermined1y set myself to do what I
had to do, give every thought, every
moment, every bit of my strength to
making money enough to cure my
husband.
Orders poured in upon me. I some
times thought If there were Is instead
! of "a hours in a day I would not have
ffr@1o Yrcrl,a lra Of
raised my prices. but because I did
better work than the other shops, it
made no difference, people still gave
me their orders.
Dick wrote every day. sometimes
cheerfully, always hopefully. But I
knew he was lonely, wanted me, yet
would not say so. never failed to
tell him that would soon be able to
come to him, yet his expenses. only
necessary ones. added to the cost of
living for Junior and me, were about
all I could manage. At times I felt
as if my heart would break. I wanted
so to go to him, to comfort him, to
feel his arms about my neck, his kisses
on my lips. But he must remain there,
and if he did I must conserve all my
strength to work for him.
So I struggled on. Hopeless at
times. hopeful at others. But always
with that feeling of responsibility for
all that had happened which was a
goad whipping me on whenever my
spirit failed.
| worked SO hard that I slept from
sheer WEAKNESS of body. That was my
salvation. 1t enabled me to go on day
after day even when the agony of
spirit was most poignant.
| From Dicks letters knew he
| grieved for Junior only less than for
me. 1t spurred me to greater exer-
| T IA K m q
| instead of leaving him with mother
as had intended. Perhaps his child
ish prattle, his joyousness, was what
Dick needed. But this meant still
more money. And altho mother tried
| to dissuade me, it would not down.
| 'Daddie misses you," L would say
when I looked upon Junior asleep in
his crib, "mother must take you to
| him." and because of the thought I
worked harder than ever. Perhaps
| if could manage to take Junior,
Dick would get well more quickly.
| So I worked and planned for long
weary months. Then one day with
| $4,000 to my credit in the bank, and
money enough to take me and Junior
to Dick. closed the shop and started
| for California.
| Dick had moved about considerably
at the advice OF physician Doctor
Hill had recommended. He was now
in Atolia- on the desert. I had no
/ d
! left Los Angeles full of excitement. of
joy at the thought of being with him
again. But when after reaching the
| nearest station we were driven sew
eral miles to the place, I wondered
| how Dick had managed to live, 1t
seemed SO lonely a place to me.
| There had been wonderful lungs
ten mines opened up before the war,
| only to be closed down because of
| lack of demand 1t was indescribably
| lonely and lonesome when We arrived.
| The drug store and postoffice COM
bined gave us directions where we
could find Dick.
He was so brown that at first he
| looked remarkably healthy man
| when compared to the thin, emaciated,
white faced Dick who had left
Lansing months before. But after a
| bit I saw it was the brown of the
desert, and so misleading.
| His joy at seeing us was pathetic.
"Daddie didn't expect to see youi"
he said as he Rugged Junior to his
| breast as il never intending to let him
go.
ct came to see you, daddie mother
bringed me-" Junior told him as he
cuddled close.
Mother brings everything that is
good to me-" Dick said nnusingly,
making me feel like crying:
1 Il have only brought evil to you,
my dear" but knowing it would dis
| tress him I did not say it, yet felt it
in all its poignancy.
| (To be continued)
Yyy1" T@r ]