Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-05-27
WRITTEN FOR AND RELEASED BIZ
CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER FORTY TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
"YOU HAVE other plans ?" The
second time that Eleanor asked
that of her daughter, she did not
stress the pronoun as she had the
first time, There was something
about the girl, a suggestion of un-
movable purpose and dignity, for
all that she. clasped. her hands be-
hind her as she had done when she
was little and knew that she was
to be punished.
Jessica nodded. Her chin trem-
bled, but she kept it up.
Phil said: "Jessica isn't a baby
any more, Nell" He said it very
gently. Don't you think we ought
to consult her before we make
plans? 2" .4N
"Jessica is seventeen and that is
a baby to me. should have been
wild with happiness If I'd been Of
fered a trip to Europe when I was
your age"
would you, Mother" Jessica
asked, almost pleaded. Would you,
if you had had something else you
wanted very much to do?"
what more could I want to
do?"
Jessica shrugged her shoulders
helplessly. Mother was a very in
telligent person, but there was no
use in trying to make her see a
point if she did not wish to see it.
Mother had deliberately not seen
her point then. t.
She said: Mother, do you think
that two years makes a great deal
o. difference in a person?"
"What has that to do with the
subject, Jessica ?"
''Do you think that one grows
froln baby into q woman in two
years 2" she persisted.
''Of course notw her mother an
Ewered impatiently.
''Well, then, you were married
when yoH We're nineteen. I'm sew
elteen, now! know that you often
refer to me as my sixteen-year-old
daughter / expect I'll lope off a
year. too, at some time in my life,
end l don't mind that. It's your
regarding me as child that OBJ
,ject to-" + @
Eleanor's glance appealed to her
husband. He pretended not to
see it.
Don't you see, Mother? We. are
the postwar generation! We know
so much about life that we have
to know how to crowd it."
Its too bad that You have to
waste SO many precious years at
your lessons Eleanor murmured.
Oh we don't mind. learning" !"
JessiQa said fWie9! LEARN sas 10TH a
Little while. We've learned how to
know ourselves and so. not waste
years drifting. We know what we
want to do" et.t. HI
Eleanor got up. "Would you
mind If I asked you to do some
thing for me? Would you mind
dressing for dinner, darling /? Some
thing a. little softer than these
sweaters and tweeds for dinner,
please"
MoIileF!. JeSSlca'S voice plead
ed with her. Please, can we go
F0Ene country soon?n 3 II II. IA
s9nksom the door Eleanor said se-
ksAely iWas. that what you want
HAtR al with your summer 2"
MshAHltys Was theonly place I want
edGfPA AgoSs, the girl said honestly: !
ttiglR W a4 planning to tell you, to-
aMEh That I had hoped we could
f3sPut by the end Of next week.
sl3plt' III excuse me now, think I'll
spnne4 letters before dinner.
nahItg f6fget TO- wash Sonny n
RAt,'of course, she was PLANNING
ago out to the country by the
SMd Of the next week. Dennis had
sNh her that morning that he had
BazM able to extend his leave. He'd
8&aatI Grace's. until the middle ot
ydiy. . Grace Mordecai,s place was
only ten miles from Long Ridge
andsher own place. .l,4 Yt...F,. II. Il,
II would be divine there In the
summer evenings when the orch
t@ - I e