Hannah's Dream by A.L. Jambor, Lenore Butler Read Free Book Online Page A

Becky and  thought there were sound reasons for giving the vote to women.  She herself read the paper weekly and knew the issues.  She was sure she could make a thoughtful and intelligent choice regarding an elected official and didn't understand why men were so reticent to extend the vote to women.
    Still, Marian had been thinking it would be nice to marry again.  She had no issue with being a dutiful wife who ran her husband's household while he supported her.  She was still young and wanted to have another child, but all the men in New Beach were either married or too young, and she despaired of ever finding another husband if she continued to live there.
    Hannah's need to create and study art concerned Marian.  Her daughter's intense drive to learn all she could about art was a mystery to Marian, who had always been content to read, tend her garden, or host a ladies' tea.
    The carriage rolled over the dirt road that led to the main highway leading to Red Bank.  The women were jostled and rocked from side to side.  They looked straight ahead as Edward guided the horse across a small bridge, and Hannah looked over the side at the water running under the bridge.  She loved the deep blue-green color of the water and decided she would try to copy it with paint.
    "Does Mr. Rousseau paint?" Marian asked.
    "He draws things.  He drew a picture of Mavis Bartles.  Everyone thinks she's so pretty because of her blond hair and her blue eyes."
    "Mavis is pretty, but you're pretty, too."
    "I'm not pretty like she is."
    "Hannah, you're very pretty."
    "You say that because you're my mother and you have to."
    Marian turned toward Hannah and put her hand under the girl's chin, turning Hannah's face toward her.
    "You are pretty, Hannah.  I don't say that because I'm your mother.  I say it because it's true."
    Hannah looked into her mother's eyes.  She wanted to believe her mother's words, but the face she saw in the mirror every morning disproved them.  Instead of arguing, though, Hannah just smiled.
    "I know," she said, hoping that would be the end of it.
    "Good, now let's think about what we have to buy today.  You need new shoes and," she lowered her voice, "underwear."
    "Mother!"
    "And you'll also need dresses."
    "May we look at the shoes with higher heels this time?" Hannah asked.
    Hannah was short for her age and longed to be taller.  Marian had always discouraged her from wearing higher heels as it was Marian's belief that the shoes would cause Hannah's legs to weaken.  While she had no proof that this was so, she still maintained that the higher heels were dangerous and refused to buy them for Hannah.
    "You're still growing," Marian said.  "Perhaps next year."
    Hannah frowned.  They passed a sign that said "Red Bank Three Miles," and she decided to wait until they were in the store to continue her campaign.  The salesman would help her sway Marian to her side.
    The ride to Red Bank took two and a half hours, and when they arrived in the bustling town, Marian asked Edward to drop them off at Nielsen's so they could eat before shopping.  He had been hired for the day and would wait outside the restaurant.
    After they ate, Marian asked Edward to take them to Cooper and Sneden's Pharmacy where she purchased a newspaper.  She and Hannah sat at the soda fountain and Hannah had an Orange Breeze while Marian looked at the advertisements.  When Hannah had finished her soda, Marian asked Edward to take them to White and Knapp for shoes.  Hannah didn't like getting new shoes.  It always took so long to break them in, and she had to wear them every day until school began.
    As they entered the shoe store, Marian went to look at the sturdy button shoes, while Hannah was drawn to the high heeled shoes with straps.  Today, however, she saw a display with shoes that didn't have buttons or straps -- they were slippers.  The slippers she was attracted to first were pretty colors with bows and ornate stitches depicting flowers