The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-17
THE NEW
GENERATION
p. ZANE phelps
MARGARETS YOUTH is M
PRESSED UPON HER.
By JANE PHELPS

CHAPTER is.
Mrs. Thompson, Hortense's mother,
gave a reception. Margaret was in
vited.
what shall wear?" she said to
Joan, after reading the invitation.
your brown satin," Joan answered
promptly.
THAT is rather old wonder
mo. it isn't! And you look so sweet
VERY well. rf4elook it over"
MRS. Hayden. may I present Mr..
Forester, a great friend of our Mrs.
Thompson said. Then: please en-
| if he will, Mrs. Hayden, he has been
| a great globe-trotter. But he's very
disinclined to talk of his travels
{ usually
y''Do tell me of things you have seen,
Mr.. Forester. 1t is my great iambi-
ton to travel as soon as my daughter
can leave school"
your daughter"
Eyes, she is IA now"
| pardon me, but you do not look
old enough to have a daughter of that
age"
They both laughed. while Margaret
wondered why of late everyone and
everything seemed to emphasize her
youth.
"They "got on famously," as Craig
Forester told Mrs. Thompson when
she came to them again, and carried
him unwillingly off to meet some other
guest.
Out of Margarets hearing. he had
questioned his hostess. She had salts
fled his curiosity, adding that she did
not approve of all of Margaret's
views. but that she admired her great
ly otherwise.
| ''Did you have a good time, Num-
sic? ?" Joan asked upon Margaret's re-
| turn.
rDelightful, dear" She had worn
the brown satin dress with its collar
and cuffs of yellowed lace, her hair
done simply as usual. But some of
the excitement of her talk with Craig
Forester still showed in her face, still
shone in her eyes.
you look so pretty, Mumsie." If
it was a concession, a wish to make
| up for her criticism of the previous
days, neither Joan or Margaret men
| toned it. Yet in a way Margaret felt
hurt. Joan would tell her she looked
well only when she wore old clothes,
sober, staid co4ors, and combed her
| hair plainly. Try as she would, Mar
garet could not brush the hurt away.
1t was only after the child slept and
she thought of Craig Forrester's COM
pliment, so seemingly honest:
"You don't look old enough to have
a daughter of that age" he had said.
Margaret felt somehow comforted.
! He had admitted her personality. She
surely had the right to develop that
personality; she had the right to self
| expression. In spite of Joan, regard
less of her prejudices, she must take
advantage of that right.
Craig Forester called often on Mar
garet after that, and both consciously
and unconsciously he helped her
growing interest in herself-Margare
Hayden, not just Joan Hayden's
mother.
Joan he had met. and she amused
told him of her ideas. of her belief
that children of the right sort of par
/ ents can be trusted to do right if
given freedom to express their own
Municipalities.
Margaret could not tell whether
Joan resented his calls or not. At
times she would be graciously lady
like to him, at others she would avoid
Nhim if possible, or speak shortly, then
excuse herself and run away.
at must make him help me assert
myself" Margaret had said over and
over. Time and time again she had
taken the gray dress with the rose
trimmings down thinking to wear 1t
when he came, and as often she had
put it away again. She was not yet
READY 10 IlSnL II OuI Win JO1Ats AOl
vet ready to shoulder the RESPONSE
bility of hurting the child to whom
she had deveted herself so assi6uously.
even tho she could not understand
why she should be hurt, either.
Scr Margaret waited day after day.
each day feeling new life, new hopes,
new aspirations within herself; wait
ing, longing for the expression she
dared not give them because of her
19-year-old girl who from. her birth
Ill hi h1<
the mother denied herself.
~ Craig Forester had finished his
visit.
After he left Margaret thought with
regret that he had not seen her in
the gray dress.
at will be out of style then" she
said to herself, thinking of his words
when he left her
81 shall come back soon. Mrs. Hay
dem"
etc, be continued.)