The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-16
THE NEW
GENERATION
By JANE PHELPS
MARGARET COMEDIES IN
HANNAH,
BIZ JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER II.

Han Nail
CHAPTER IT.
Margaret had not the heart to wear
the gray dress with the touch of rose
color again. 1t hung in the closet
for a time, anyway. Joan had shown
so plainly the effect of her weeping.
the tearing sobs-hollow-eyed, pale
and listless she was as unlike the
usual Joan, who welcomed the new
day and her mother with joyful cries,
as could be imagined.
"I never dreamed she would take
anything so to heart" Margaret said
looked at the small, pale face framed
in it's golden glory.
She had intended to do her hair as
she had the preceding day, but after
a look at Joan, she drew it back into
tbs same uncompromising plainness as
had been her custom. Joan said moth
ing, but a little smile wreathed her
lips, and a glance of satisfaction
cleaned from her eyes-that she
would not too easily forgive Mar
garets offense was evident. She was
unusually quiet at breakfast, and
school, she went about in a subdued
way. But when she left she kissed her
mother and said:
Goodbye, Mumsie!"
That "Mumsie' meant that she had
taken her mother back into her love
again-that she felt Acquainted"
Margaret had always made all
Joan's clothes. She sewed daintily
and loYed the task. Joan's dresses,
she designed as well as made, SO there
was always an individuality about
them.
After Joan left for school Mar
garet sat down with a yellow linen
e1i CHI Ii, x1vIai q
her trained fingers flew fast, her
thoughts flew still faster.
What should she do? If She gave
in to Joan now. all her desire for
freedom, for independence would be
lost almost before she had realized its
birth.
IT can't make her unhappy
can't" she muttered. Then: But
why should she be unhappy because
I have realized I am not really old;
that life still holds something beside
motherhood for me? Not that any
thing could ever mean what she does.
the dear, but that 1 some way seem
to feel different
Suddenly she sat erect. A thought
shot thru her mind:
Some day Joan will go away from
you-will marry!
Margaret began to figure. If Joan
married say at 20, she, Margaret,
WOULD ne ~ Vi COuISt II was IldluI al
ITO suppose that Joan's husbandN-who-
ever he might be-would be willing to
either go on living with her, or that
she should live with them. But sNp-
pose he shouldn't be willing? Or sup
pose she would not care to make
either arrangement, what then?
Forty isn't old" she muttered.
Then throwing aside the slip upon
which she had been so industriously
working, she went up to her room.
mo, forty is not oldH' she said. then
added: unless one allows it to be-"
She seated herself before her dress
ing table mirror Slowly she examined
herself, each feature, looked for sign
of wrinkles, and found none. Save
for a little crinkling at the corner of
her eyes, her face was as smooth as
Joan's own. And that crinkling might
well have been caused by laughter in
stead of age.
Some day she would take a trip into
Boston and replenish her small stock
of cosm eticS. She had a. good COM
plexion, but a bit OF rouge, a tiny line
to extend her eyebrows. some good
powder, would make a difference.
Margaret Hayden longed to talk
with some one, and no one but old
Hannah being available. she decided
to go to her.
you see, Hannah, Joan isn't ac-
customed to seeing me wear anything
Dut SOBER clothes, -pldlnly MADE
never have cared. But someway l
seem to have commenced to care
lately" she blushed wildly at her
naive confession, land Joan resents
it That is why she cried SO the other
night. She said she had lost her
Mumsie."
you sure looked fine. And Mrs.
Hayden, ma'am, please don't stop be-
cause of her-Joan. You amt nothin'
but young thing yoself. Why your
ma warn't married till she was older
than what you are this mint. Just
go on making yo'self look fine like the
other night. Miss Joan she going to
git used to it. Don't you fear"
Decentralization but"
Don't have no butts about it,
pa'am. You sure is old enough to
know your own mind, same as you lets
Joan know hern. You let's her do
what she wants to, because you, think
it is right. Why amt it right for you
too? That's what l want to know"
Thank you, Hannah"
Hannah returned to her work
to herself. and wondering
what her mistress had thanked her
for. II
(Tomorrow-Margar youth is i'm
pressed upon herr