The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-12-19

W
HER REFUskLs WE'RE FIRM AND RELENr
| LESS.
! ed and lonely whatever the reason
sitting there I'm her little window
looking down upon the street. with is
throng OF gay. good naturcd shoppers
| Ruth did what she had stcrnly forbid
den herself 10 dO-shc went back over
the years which had made such changes
In her life. There was her fathers
| business disgrace, the loss of every.
thing, followed by his death. Then
| came her own beginning I'm business
In spite OF herself. Ruth smiled 10 thinl,
OF what her old friends would say
could they know what capable little
business woman necessity had made of
her. But not one OF them all knew
where she was. Not one had traced
her TO this great city-that is. except
Jack. Jackf AS soon as Ruth admit
ted that name into her thoughts, Il
dominated al else. II brought back its
owner-strong, manly. insistent- one OF
the won't-take- -no-for-an-answer kind
Ruth found herself wondering almost
that Jack had taken her no as final
Apparently he had IL had surely been
as strong as she could make t. And
he had gone away-and had not come
back. with the many friends who had
rung up 10 ask how she was and To
say MERRY Christmas" there hnd been
no Jack-Jack OF the strong face. the
loyal heart, the tender eyes and voice.
How had she ever let him go?
Some time you will want mo, Ruth"
he had said Above the rush and roar
Of the great city Ruth heard the words
again just ns she had heard them ev-
err day and every night since Jack
had gone away. 81 could urge you now.
but ! want you OF your own free will.
dear And you will come some day
! do not even need TO ask n promise-I
know. What Is ours does come TO us,
II we walt ] can wait"
That was three years ago. Al first
Ruth had half expected his return
But he never came And he never sent
her word Ruth was tired Of watch.
Ing the mails now. And her proud M.
tie head told her eagcr little heart that
II was not fair 10 call Jack back just
because life was hard and lonely and
almost unbcarnble sometimes. So she
toiled away until toll became work
work that she enjoyed She had her
little rooms by herself. her books. her
pictures, enough 10 eat ana wear
what more need any one askl Moth
ing-except at Christmas At Christ
mas. 20 n woman. love Is n necessity.
That night, I'm the middle Of the
darkest hour. Ruth sat up straight In
bed She was absolutely sure that the
telephone bell over her desk had juIt
rung All was still, so. astcr rGm-
ute OF waiting, she lay down again,
laughing 90 herself The telephone
had been no busy oll day bringing her
messages that she had heard II I'm her
dreams. II could not really have rung.
After q little she drOwscd or, only
TO hear IT'S shrill Jingle again and
again. II no longer wakcncd her. But /
ia her dream she went 10 the tclc- /
phone. took down the receiver and Us. .
tened Out of the darkness and dis 7
tance voice spOke-Jack's voice. /
Merry Christmas" was its only mes /.
sage But 20 strong and clear were .
the words that when Ruth finally /
awoke % sunny Christmas morn
ing, she still unglcd 10 their memory .
Perhaps, when one Grst awakcs, the .
heart has more control over one than .
the head Anyhow. when Ruth sat up .
and looked out Of her window az Tie
already busy streets far below her. her
heart was doing the talking
"Jack Is waiting for you-some
II said And be belongs 10
you Why not claim your ownT
After q minute Ruth's heart spoke
again. "what II you are poorf what
II he l. not richi Can't two work 20.
yether better than apartl Why not
give Jack n Christmas glftl The only
,ne he wantsT
Ruth DID not give her head time 10
lrgue with her heart As soon as she
vas dressed she was az the telephone
irving Jacks business number. After
The had waited what seemed n long.
ong time her head did remind her
"Why, Of course she said slowly.
he will be up country today" She
vas Just about 10 hang up the receiver
walt a minute" cried her heart
Iearts DO know things. especially az
christmas And then
Hello" said n big. hearty voice out |