Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-24
CHAPTER XIX
Defiance

t<T rs out of the question! I'm surprised
that you'd ask such a thing!' Henry
Martini voice harsh and his eyes
We're stern as they rested on the eager face
of his daughter.
But, father, I could get work. I'd pay
back every cent"
Work, what could you do?" he snorted.
you're just like every other girl, crazy for
| excitement, movie-struck, I'd call it. I'll
have no daughter of mine living alone in the
city, trying the modern woman stuff. No,
tell you, not penny Will you get out of
me-
Calls head went up proudly and she
faced her father without hint of fear "Of
course you know that you can't keep me
here, if l wish to CO. she said evenly. I'm
of age. l can leave home any time l like"
Yes, and 1 dare say you'd be fool enough
to do 1T if you had the chance. Now
here, Gail I'm your father and, while you
stay under my roof you'll show me respect"
But I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm
simply stating facts"
you're talking like a wild woman and
| won't have it. Just because George Hart
ley doesn't want to marry you, doesn't
necessarily mean the end of life for you.
You'll feel different after little time has
passed, perhaps the day will come when
you'll be glad this happened"
Gail turned away sick at heart. There was
no need of arguing. She had known in ad-
vance just what would happen if she at
tempted to make her father see the matter
stand he wouldn't even try to understand
the whole thing quite hopeless.
Gail racked her mind for a way out. She
thought of taking a job in town, of working
till she had enough money to leave, but what
could she do? In Dalesburg girls did not
work, there was no position open for a wom-
an, save, perhaps, cashier in one of the
stores, and positions of that kind were gem
orally filed by the daughters or wives of
the owners.
breaking of her engagement. In Dalesburg
every one went to church, but Gail, who all
week mad kept close to the house, not even
yenturing as far as the postofice, shrank
from the ordeal of sitting under the battery
OF eyes that would be sure to be levied on
her. There would be whispering and nod
dlng, curious looks and an effort on the part
OF every one to act as though nothing had
happened.
AS she dressed for breakfast Gail set her
mouth dehantly. Il won't go!" she said to
herself, and instead of putting on one of her
thlh summer dresses, as she usually did on
Sunday morning, she went down to break
last in sober Bingham.
Her fathers eyes looked at her askance.
her mothers glance was troubled. Buddy
merely stared
Whats this, not dressed for church ?"
Henry Martins voice held note of impa-
thence. He had always held the whiphand
over ms wife and daughter. To his way of
thinking, women folks always bowed to the
suPerlor authority of the male father
ruled his daughter until she left his roof for
that OF another man, a man ruled his wife
always Such thing as the independence
of women had not as vet penetrated INFO
DaIesburg, or, for that matter any town of
us size and kind, and since Gail had stood
up before her father and flung defiance in
ms lace Henry Martin had felt rritabIy con-
sclous or the fact that his authority had been
challenged. :"
Il m not going to church." Gail spoke
quietly but none the less determinedIy.
hot, red flush crept up over Henry Mar
TN cheekbones, and his eyes suddenly
oI'Aeu' NO member of his family had ever,
seen him angry and although GaiIs evos
ulu not drop, her heart began suddenly to
hammer in her breast