Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-06
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
FRIDAY. THE THIRTEENTH
By MARY LUCAS

WITH a sigh of relief. pretty Ruth
w Pierce looked up as she finished
casting off the sweater she had heen
knitting for the Red Cross. In another
moment, however. her look of relief
changed to one of trouble. She had just
remembered that it was Friday. the
18th, her unlucky day. Ruth never liked
to begin anything or complete anything
on this day. SO it was with an angry
exclamation that she picked up the
sweater and ran into the house.
She burst into the dining-room. where
her mother was busy setting the table
for dinner. and exclaimed: There!
just had to finish that sweater on FRI
day, the 18th. Something is surely going
to happen now / never Knew II to
fail" And Ruth burst out crying. Mrs.
Pierce knowing her daughters super
stition on this point. laughingly said:
why. Ruthe. you are being a regular
Calamity Jane. The sweater is finished
so what is the use of crying? Although
lucky for you. there are always eXcep-
tions to every case You know" With
this Mrs. Pierce left the room.
Ruth finally decided that her mother
was right. and she dried her eyes That
afternoon the sweater was neatly folded
and pinned. and pinned on it was "A slip
of paper. on which was written Ruth $
name and address.
Ruth then stared off for the Red
| Cross rooms. with n guilty feeling for
having finished a soldiers sweater on
her unlucky day. She felt that some
thing terrible would happen to the SOL
sweater With these thoughts running
through her mind, Ruth came to her
destination, and after delivering her
bundles. she returned home.
E.F
forgotten al about the sweater that had
been completed on Friday, the 18th
Other things had occupied her mind
one beautiful day in August Ruth
hammock, knitting, as usual. She was
very busy repeating knit two purl
two" so consequently, she did not see
young man in khaki enter the gate
! fore alarmed when some one asked her
! in polite way If she We're Miss Ruth
| Pierce. Ruth nodded In reply. and the
stranger began to tell her that he was
forgot all her shyness at this, and inter
rupted with And has nothing terrible
/ happened to you since you received It?
The young man. looked puzzled as he
Ruth. seeing his perplexity, hastened
/ to explain her meaning At the closr
of this explanation Arthur whitney, f.,
this was the young mans name. laughed
aloud and said. why. ] really think thr
sweater brought me good luck. foi
shortly after i arrived ! was promoted
10 Lieutenant"
Ruth then asked him If he would
kindly tell her his name. which he read
! iiv did. and. considering themselves in
/ troduced they talked on and on. heed
less of the time Mrs. Pierce. wonder
/ ing where Ruth was. came out in the
/ yard and was surprised to find her Gag
| erly conversing with a strange young
man. She approached them and re
! ce'ved an introduction to Arthur, ana
! told him how Ruth had worried about the
| sweater which he now proudly wore.
Arthur had obtained long leave OF
absence, the greater part of which ne
spent at the Pierce home, and he ana
| Ruth became very friendly. As the days
| went by their friendship ripened into
The day before Arthurs departure
| came at last, and 1t was on thls day.
when Ruth and he were seated In the
hammock, that Arthur asked Ruth the
old, old question, to which she shyiy an
swered yes.
That evening as Arthur was going out
NJ the ward he turned and said, We'll.
Friday. the 18th. certainly proved lucky
for me. and Ruth replied in happy
voice, And for me. too
Tomorrouc's Complete Nope'ette-
"HER FIRST POSITION"