Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-05
ARTICLE XVI

SSCNORRY for Scott Raymond, gaspeo
- Ruth. What do you mean?'
Myras usually calm and mobile face
was white with feeling and her hands
clutched at her sides.
Ruth | shouldn't have said that;
please don't make me say anything more.
I'm so sorry"
But you must tell me what YOU mean
by that remark. Myra. insist upon
knowing
The two girls had been walking
briskly, and they were now nearing the
simple little three-rOOm apartment where
Myra lived with her mother. lnNolun-
tarly they paused as they reached the
entrance. and Myra said quietly. will
you come up?'
Ruth followed her without word her
heart in a turmoil, and Nyra's sudden
passionate words ringing III her ears
over and over again.
Upstairs in the CHEEKY little sitting
room. Myra faced Ruth suddenly They
were alone and 1t was very quiet In the
little room, so quiet that when Myra be-
gan speaking her words fell into the
quietness like little clinking bits of Ice
so clearly did she speak.
Scott loved you he loved You much
more than you will ever he able 10 under
stand, Ruth Rowland You won't UNDER
stand because you chose Jack, and JACKIE
love is the kind of love That will Sati-
isfy you for the rest of your life. of
course, you don't understand what YOU
threw away; you couldn't. and ! don't
know that would blame you a. all If
II hadn't been for the pretty way You
played with these two men. For time
you never showed any parttalttS You
were greedy you wanted both of them.
You let them take you every where you
danced and hirted and tOyed with life in
the pretty, kittensh way YOU have, and
1t didn't worry YOU great deal when
you saw that they were both falling iC
love with you: instead, ii iattered your
vanity"
Myra hadn't wanted 10 speak hut now
that she had begun, there was no stop
ping her Something had lain dormant
( in her heart for a long time; something
that she had tried to keep dormant be-
cause OF the genuine love she had for
Ruth but circumstances had been too
much for her, and having once lOosed the
hoodgates, the words came tumbling out,
one after the other.
IF the war hadn't iuterfered with
your pretty little game You might have
done even more damage; but the war
forced you to decide and. of course. YOU
chose Jack" she went on scathingly.
"And you were glad ard Il little bit de
FAINT when Jack told you he needn't g.
across. All YOU thought of We're the lit'le
things. the personal vanities the soft
nesses of life. Engagement parties and
satin trousseau were necessities to YOU
What could You know of women who
we're doing without food and clothing and
suffering degradation? Such things were
to be thought of as little as nOss BILE.
Your attitude was always. what is
there for me to dn?"
Ruth bad been silent so far and sho
made no effort to stem the food Of
Myra's wild words Perhaps il was Just
az well. for Myra was bent on saying
what she had to say and then forever
holding her peace. 1t was her manner
of doing things.
II knew you weren't worthy Of Scott.
but I never knew how much ne cared
until he told me- and then | almost hated
YOU"
Ruth started and was about 10 speak,
but thought better of it and remained
quiet
II couldn't see why he cared so des-
perately. / couldn't bear him to suffer
as he did. And you never even tod
him you were sorry, You were too busy
buying ring that cost hundreds of dol
lars. and planning your marriage with
Jack 10 even see Scott when he came
up from camp"
Myra. did tell him. l told him
the night he spoke 10 me-" interposed
Ruth. II was not in her heart to feel
resentful toward Myrs st that moment,
6he had learned too much in the past
.lew minutes, and besides 80 ver~ much
~ what Myra had said was true.
t"Tou couldn't appreciate Scott. you're
~ light Scott has too much of what
~ 1on's require
lxrs. that's not srue:' the word
had stung Ruth TO the quick.
= trsae. 1 don't believe you have
eoroelty for feeling. and that
Pf ee'<t would hsvsI