The Topeka state journal., 1922-11-18
Chapters From a
Woman s Life
BY JANE PHELPS

A letter had came from Walters
mother. She was about to start East
to visit us. Ny heart sank clear into
my boots, as father used to say, al
tho was ashamed of myself for the
feeling. But the letter was so cold.
seemed to take for ;ranted that
Walter had been unwise to marry,
that it reused my resentment
THE Mater thinks everyone should
ask her advice, and take it," her son
said laughingly wheE I spoke of the
sentence in her letter that had hurt
me. she'll like you all right when
she'll be stand -offish at first, so make
up your mind to it,"
This was not very encouraging,
but my husbands mother had a right
could to mike her stay pleasant. I
went to the station with Walter to
meet her, and when / saw him greet
the tall, thin, woman with iron gray
hair, and severe aristocratic face,
made up my mind l should need
all the tact / possessed to keep my
resolve to make her stay pleasant.
$50 this is your wife" she said in
a cold voice when Walter introduced
US, She raised her lorgnette and look
were some curiosity, I flushed, en-
barrassed, as 1 held out my hand,
which she just touched with the tips
of her gloVed fingers.
gage, after many cautions to be care
full of F'ido. She had brought a deg.
felt myself growing pale. 1 hated to
acknowledge it but had always been
once an animal only had to be a bark
and tail for me to run from it.
was ashamed of this weakness, but it
was mine; and now I was to have
dog in the house.
'I hope you will see that Fido has
everything to which she is accustomed
while I am with you," Mrs. Page said.
''She is very particular, gets i'll easily"
Just then Walter appeared with the
dog basket, followed by porter load
at the size of the basket. 1t was
small dog, perhaps I could hide my
fear from his mother.
We took a taxi, and soon arrived
at home. My mother-in-law opened
the basket in the hall, and little
Pom leaped out. I drew away, and
Walter said with a laugh:
''Doreen is terribly afraid of dogs,
Mother
There is something lacking in a
woman who is afraid of animals" she
replied, taking the dog into her arms
and calling it pet names
'I don't think I shall be afraid of SO
small a dog" I replied wishing Walter
had kept still.
His mother made no reply, but still
cooling to the bog in what seemed to
me disgusting fashion, she followed
me to her room
had taken great pains to make it
home-like and comfortable, had fresh
flowers on the table, books and maga-
zines for her to read.
Throw those flowers out" she
said at once. "It isn't healthy for
Frido to have flowers in the room. And
please close those windows. There's
a draft on him.
I closed the windows, altho 1T was
a very warm day and the air was
soft. Then I took the flowers in my
hand, before I said:
1--WE dine at 7. I expect you will
like to rest until then"
= "If you mean lie down, I never do
that in the daytime. I shall un-
pack"
''Can I help you? Or would you
rather have the maid?' I asked.
''I always unpack myself Then I
know where things are" She opened
the bureau drawers as she spoke, and
I thought I heard her sniff as she
bent over them.
Almost Historically wondered
what she expected to find. I had
paper. they were as sweet and clean
as possible.
''If you want anything please ring"
said as I left the room.
Slowly went into the kitchen. Jen-
ME must be told about the dog. must
be warned that she must be very re-
spectfu1 to Mrs. Page. She was very
apt to show it when things didn't go
to her liking, and'it would be a calam-
ity to lose her.
(To be continued.)