The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-06
four DANCING FEET

BY JANE PHELPS

4 Il
| Chapter TO.
The position secured by her teacher
| for Jennie had opened new, a hope
| full vista to Gertie.
1T worried something awful, Jennie,
about you. / was so afraid if mar
ried and went away you would have
to give up going to school and do SO
want you to be graduated. I worried
| even after Tom said he'd lend you the
| money for your clothes and books, be-
cause we never have run in debt, and
was afraid it would worry you and
i Ma But you are getting along so
nicely; are so smart at teaching be-
lieve you can get backward children
haps you could get one. to help say an
hour day. People pay real good for
fhelping their children"
81 thought of that too, Gertie. It's
so nice to earn money. I feel so rich
with my $50 a month"
But you mustn't want to earn money
SO badly you'll give up wanting to be
real teacher in a big SCHOOL," Gertie
returned, fearful for her cherished
mo danger! But i0I could get along
without borrowing from Tom, wouldn't
i 1t be great? I know Ma hates the
idea, even if he's going to be one of
| the family"
Ma hates owing anyone. She has
told me many times, that Pa used to
say. You can get along without hav-
ing things, but you can't get along
| if you have debts 1 guess Pa was
pretty trict about such things. Ma
has always been so careful not to
| owe"
| "I'm going to tell teacher what you
said about setting some one to help
an houS a day. She'll know If can"
| ct couldn't go-couldn't get married,
Jennie, If I wasn't sure you'd learn to
be a teacher. A real one, so you can
help Ma. BY the time you will want
to get married Tim will be old enough
me married. Don't you know
| teachers are most old maids?" Jennie
returned with a laugh.
mot unless they want to be I guess:
If you ever do get married, hope it
will be someone nice" -
Like your Tom z"
| During the summer these two sis
tiers had grown closer together than
ever~before. The thought of losing
Gertie, of being the Oldest at home
had matured Jennie. Already she was
assuming the airs and graces of the
eldest daughter much to Gertie's
amusement.
Two thoughts were constantly in
Gerties mind in spite of her great hap
| piness, and the reaSsuring loveletters
der how he ever. stopped to love her,
/ to want her for his wife; the other
how the family, her mother. were to
get along without her financial help.
] Mrs. Cummings tried in her homely,
practical way to reassure her.
you mustn't talk that way about
Tom, nor feel that way neither. You
are a. good girl, and smart girl. You
| amt educated, but you has done the
best you could educatin' yourself, and
| teacher. And no man, not even your
| Tom, is Stoopin' none when he gifts a
good innocent girl to marry him. If
| he's the right kind of a man he never
! thinks he is either. And, Gertie, don't
you never say them things to him, like
you say to me about not bein' good
! enough for him, not in his class, and
his stoopin'.- He amt no saint If he
/ Is a good man, better'n most, and If
you keep sayin' such things to him
maybe he'll come to believe them. Not
meanin' to, but IL you tell things all
the time like you believed 'em, others
| is like to be believin' them too"
| It'll try not to say such things to
| him, but can't help wondering. He's
| so Observation-Disclosures everything
He could marry anyone.
HE wouldn't have asked you If he
hadn't wanted just you. Nobody made
him. And as far as our gettin' along
/ without you, don't you fret none. You
done for US always, since you was a
mite of a girl. You amt no call to
\ worry. Jennie is older than you was
when you took the family on your
shoulders, and Tins a boy, and soon
will be a lot of help. We've always
done right, and the good God amt
going to let US suffer because you're
| happy. If we needs it SO Jennie can
/ be a teacher Well do what Tom said.
Take enough to help her out, and pay
him interest like any man would. So
please don't worry no more. feel bad
enough KNOWN you're going way off
where the Indians live without feelin'
worse because worryin' all that time"
1.-THE Indians won't bother me, Ma,
and I'll try not to worry any more I
didn't think I was making you un-
happy will remember all you've
| told me too mean about Tom"
| Tomorrow Mrs. Cummings and
Jennie see Gertie dance.)