The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-06
Chapters From, a
Womarl;s Life
BY JANE PHELPS

| CnapIer H.
When became walter Pages wife
it seemed to me no one could be, or
ever was, as Happy as I. Walter was
an artist who already had made some
| thing of a name for himself, altho
he was not quite 80 years old His
| income was a comfortable one. 1t
would give US all the comforts and
some of the luxuries of life. He was
handsome, gay, debonair, and-irre-
sponsible. Beauty in any form ap-
haps most of all. and. if not simply
portraits, most of his pictures con-
tanned female figures.>/
Just before we married, Claire Cor
don said to me:
I'D be as jealous as could be of
an artist, Dol een-especially one so
handsome and attractive as Walter.
should hate his models, L know 1
should
1'Nonsensei they are no more to
Walter than a piece of furniture.
They are simply a part of the picture
he is painting But unconsciously
Claire had put her finger ppon the
one sore spot iHmy happiness the fly
in my ointment" 1 loved Walter de-
votedIy, and trusted him-yet when l
thought of him speeding hours in his
studio with some lovely girl some
thing very like fear gripped me, Only
to be gone at his first loving word.
his kiss.
had suggested we take an apart
ment large enough SO he might have
his studio in it, but he quickly and
decidedly vetoed the idea.
why, darling, 1 couldn't work! I'd
be making love to you. And l want
to make a big success now have you
to work for" So we took an apart
ment some distance from his studio,
planning later to buy small house in
some suburb, and have what he called
a real home
I had met Walter while visiting
Claire Gordon, and he had followed
me to my home near Boston and
urged a short engagement. So
scarcely three months after L met him
we were married. Father did not
quite like such haste, but Walter won
Mother-as he did all women, and
she sided with US, so that Father had
to give in. But I remember Father
said:
Have your own way. but there's an
old saying, Doreen, marry in haste,
repent at leisure Be careful you
don't prove its truth"
Don't ever worry about that, Fa-
Their. Why, I'm the happiest girl in
the worldI" was my answer. and I
was. y
I was an only child. My girlhood
fortably off, 1 had pretty clothes, and
could entertain my friends. Father
was. physician, a country doctor"
he called himself when either Mother
or I scolded Kim for going out in all
weathers, at all hours to, look after
people from whom he could expect no
fee.
Wed be rich, If your patients paid
you'll" I would grumbIe.
81 am rich in their thanks, and the
knowledge that I have helped them"
he would reply. They haven't any I
money to give me. I'll have to tuck |
on a. few dollars to some of the bills
of those who can afford to pay if you |
When I was married Mother gave |
me very nice wardrobe, Father jolS- |
ing me about how much they would |
save when they no longer had me to I
dress But I caught him wiping his |
glasses after he spoke, and knew he |
was sad at the thought of losing me. |
But while I loved them both dearly, |
nothing could Gampen my joy in be- |
coming Walters wife.
I was rather pleased when he told |
me he had few relatives, and that |
they lived in the far west. His father
had passed away, and his mother
lived with E niece. 1 would have him
all to myself
Mother seldom comes east, she
dislikes to travel. But I shall tell
her she must come soon and get ac-
4uainted with her new daughter" he
told me.
Upon our arrival in New York we
went to a small hotel until we-or,
rather, until Walter could select the
furniture for our apartment. He
aughingly told me / wasn't artistic
and that he'd have the -willies' If
mis- home wasn't attractive.
Like as not I'd stay a-ray," he
said lightly.
ST wouldn't care if it was the ugliest
place in the world if you were thereH'
returned.
well, 1 would So you'd better
let me select the hangings and such
things. You go ahead with the essen
.ials, the kitchen stuff and all that"
This 4did happily, not realizing that
perhaps this was the place I would
AXE in his lfe-relegated to essen 4
.ials.
(To be continued.)