The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-15
The Woman
He Married
BY JANE PHELPS
Il NEW HOME.
--ADrED no

The year was over-Dick, strong
and well Again-seemingly as healthy
as ever, yet had the haunting fear
the doctors attitude gave me when he
said we must not attempt to live IN a
cold climate. Dick laughed at my
fears, aItho he made no move toward
going back east. but talked always OF
remaining in California
Our money was almost gone. In
the last two or three months Dick had
done little writing for magazines and
papers He wrote a long article about
Tungsten which brought him a good
big check, and a request for more OF
his work.
why ever try to do office work
AGAIN." 1 asked. You have shown
that you can write acceptably. Why
not keep on doing that? Then we
can live where we please regardless Of
conditions"
1T has been in my mind for some
time" he responded.
But when the next two articles were
returned with the printed slip SO dis
couraging to the amateur writer, he
said: Il guess it would be a broken
reed If we had to depend upon it,"
But when the next trial was sue
cessful preached my scheme which I
believed would work nicely.
Let US take a little place in South
ern California, where we can raise
some of the things we eat. and where
You can work out doors. If we can't
get a house cheap, we'll rent some
land and live in a tent. We have
will go to work quietly in small way
Don't object. dearl 1 shall be much
happier II you don't"
"All right. If it is necessary 1
won't say single word. But if 1
prove / can earn enough to live, just
simply, will You agree to be happy.
and let me do it-even If can't give
you as much as would like to?"
1T isn't what you give me, dearr"
MY thoughts flew to my old complaints
| that I could not have what other.
richer women had. 1T is what want
| to do to help you. to make it easier
for You. You mustn't get sick again,
you know"
II shan't I'm as strong as an nv
again."
We moved out to little plot of
ground near Riverside. We made a
small payment on the ground with one
OF the checks Dick received for mis-
story, then set up our tent We had
| a better equipped kitchen lean-to. but
| aside from that our quarters were no
peter than we had had on the desert.
naturally the neighbors wondered, al
tho none lived very near and we ex-
planned to those who asked that Dick
| had been i'll and had been advised to
live out of doors.
To our desert equipment we added a
| small tent for Dicks study and office
AS he jokingly called it. There we
| put his books. his typewriter, and
| other supplies, and he worked several
hours each day with varying success
| cooked, washed and cleaned While
| he was busy, then we would take long
walks Junior, who had become very
| strong and large for his age, often ac-
| compauied lis.
isn't this better than being cooped
,, up in big city?" Dick would often
ask, then take in long breaths of the
4 clear air.
On Easter morning we climbed
Mount Rubidoux at sunrise to hear the
| choir from Los Angeles sing their
anthems of praise-a feat that six
| months before would have been i'm
possible for Dick.
He worked our vegetable garden in
for the flowers I had planted and
which grew 50 quickly and so luxuri-
antly in that country.
Junior was in school. Morning and
night he trudged sturdily the distance
OF mile or more. his lunch basket
grasped in his hand, his books
| strapped upon his back. Dick helped
---AAi "AsAA HiS AOSSOuS, anu we ali three
gave short time each day to our
French exercises. We had no idle
time, and although frequently we were
almost broke, as Dick called it. some
| thing invariably happened before we
were quite out Of money
We had paid for our lot in less than
year. And now once again Dick
talked of building a house. just as hap
PLY as he had talked of one in that
long ago. But this time It was to be
no small mansion with a garage, but
just wing in which we would move
until we could afford to build on a
front, az many people did.
Dicks stories were becoming