Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-26
THEWZFE
RUTH RETURNS TO THE SHOP
BY Jane Phelps.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CHAPTER CXX

Mrs. Ciayb0rne renamed with Ruth
until the baby was over montl v,CI
The day she left, Ruth returned to the
shop, although her aunt had told her it
was unnecessary Mrs. Clayborne glad.
ly would have taken both Euth and the
baby home with her and cared for theI ,
But Ruth, aside from her feeling of lay
atty to Brian, iliso was uneasy. She
loved her work and found herself long.
ing to get busy again.
Mr.. Msndel had been most kind -
So Mrs. Claybotne impressed upYu Ruth
He had sent many flowers to both Ruth
and her aunt, and when Ruth was able
to go out, he had several times taken
them to the opera.
~ did enjoy it so mueh," Ruth said
to her aunt after one Of these evenings
at he opera, "but it seems dreadful To
enjoy S self when B-our boys arc
fighting and may be killed"
"Your moping at home won help
them. IL is needful for everyone to have
certain amount OF pleasure in y (.
lives. Goodness Knows you have had
little enough since you married."
81 have been as gay as most in our
circumstances. y
That S just it! lou had no busi
ness to be in those circumstances.
am not saying wort against Brian a.,
man. but rs a provIdef for family
he is dceiGOdly inadequate. 4"
Ruth made no reply. What her aunt
said was true. Brian, as q provia. e
was inadequate. He would have anoth-
or to work for when he came back
il he did come back. Someway, Ruth s
thoughts of Brian we're always tingcj
with fear. She knew he had reckless,
venturesome spirit. She feared it would
lead him into needless danger. Whea
she read that the Americans could hard
" be controlled so anxious were they to
be in the fightin" she always visualiz-
ed Brian as one of the foremost of te
boys 'ushing into danger.
Ruth settled down into her old work
at the shop She first learned what
had been done in her department during
her absence, then with renewed enthusi-
asm, gave the best of which she was
capable to her employer.
She had nothing to worry her-if one
excepted fear for Brian. Rachel was
thoroughly competent to care for the ba
ny, and also 20 do the simple house
keeping required, now that they were
alone. Ruth hired laundress, but
aside from that Rachel would have no
help.
"I shov can ak care o. you, missy
Ruth, and yo' baby toe" she had said
when Ruth had expressed fear that
IL would be too much for her to at
tempt. And as she saw no neglect any
Whereas the baby was well and won.
derfully cared for, her own meals well
cooked and nourishing-she gradually
left all the details Of the home to Ra,
chel.
"Get what you like was her an.
swer whenever Rachel consulted her as
to the marketing
This freedom from all care at home
gave her more strength to use in bust
ness. More and morre did Mandel come
to depend upon her. Much Of his time
was given to war work. He had always
been generous and philanthropic man.
And new he gave himself as well as
his money, so making it necessary to
lean more heavily upon hts em,asyecs
to run his business. La Monte had gone
into a training camp, and his work, to
"a great extent, devolved upon Ruth.
But she made no complaint. Sometimes
when she was unusually tired, she would
say TO herself:
"I can only do my bit this way"
Mandel had raised her salary again