The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-12
THE NEW
GENERATION
IT is A GOOD DEAL TO BE just
4 MOTHER.
By JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER Sc

Often Margaret said to Craig For
roster:
Il am only just finding myself. I
am like some one who for twenty
years has been shut off from the sun
light only as it shone on another now
it is shining on me. as well as on Joan.
She is grown up, am Just beginning
to grow
What an idea you dear. unselfish
woman! 1 never knew such devotion
as you have given that girl. Even
now you consider her in your thoughts
before you make a single move. ex-
pect If I should ask you to marry me
you would put me off until you could
think whether it would be a good
thing for joan"
Please don't try me-" Margaret
laughed nervously.
a DO you know that you are abso-
lutely opaque? You are wonderful
just the same. Don't be afraid. I
shan't ask you until 1 am certain that
Joan as a deciding force is eliminated
from your mind. She'll never give her
consent to a young thing like you
marrying"
I'm like a stranger to Joan now.
She doesn't quite like it, or me. She
says am an entirely different per-
son. 1 think she feels 1 am terribly
foolish yet at the same time she is a
bit afraid of me. You see have been
being. 1t is hard for the poor child to
grasp the idea"
You'll have to be careful that you
keep up the idea, that you don't go
back to the old doting mother who has
no ambitions, no desires save as they
hers" Then: She's a dear kid,
wish she didn't hate me So 1t would
make things so much easier. 1 shan't
give her much more time to right
about face and acknowledge a liking
for me. I sent her some flowers to-
you did,"
Yes; what do you suppose she will
do with them, throw them out?"
Just then the telephone rang.
Is that you, mother?"
Yes"
THAT mantle one who is in love
with you-sent me some flowers to-
day. I suppose he thought he could
get around me with his gifts just as
he does around you. I threw them out
them and took them in her rooms. 1
hope she likes Them
Margaret gasped as the receiver
clicked showing Joan had hung up.
What is it? May ask?'
Its Joani''
Il thought so. What was it. my
flowers?"
yes. She threw them out. The
laundress has them"
I'll send her some more in a day
or two. expected she would do
just that. The little spitfire"
IT'S only because she loves me-"
Margaret replied.
Its only because she's selfish, and
young. and self-willed"
i'Don't! she's unhappy over every
thing"
TITS time she wasl You have
inundated yourself on the altar OF
your love for her for years. 1t is
time she had jolt of some kind.
This young generation is going too
fast. They think they can make the
world go round without any help from
their elders. 1t is your fault Joan
is so selfish. not hers. You beautiful
young thing you!"
Say it over again, the young
thing I mean"
You young. young thingl"
Thank you! 1 like it. 1 think
shall keep you saying It every
time 1 see you, so be warned. And
I like being free, and having this
lovely apartment, and my new clothes.
and my friends and everything. doing
things just because I want to do them.
am having the time Of my life-oh.
I should have said. of my young life.
Yeti hate to think 1 am making
Joan unhappy. You see I love my
daughter very dearly. She was grown
up, away from me, I was lonely. and
this is the result. If she had stayed
little" she added naively. II never
would have done this, neverf'
mo, I don't think you would. You
would have gone on until you died just
being Joan's mother, without any ex-
preston of your own sweet self, salts
fled just to mother someone"
after all that is a good deal isn't
it ?' Margaret's voice was a bit
wistfui. her thoughts on Joans dis
appointed face as she last saw it.
(To be continued)