Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-03
A ARTICLE XIV

ARTICLE XIV
- DuTH had never dreamed that Helen
~ Brander would in any way come to
ne an influence in any ones life. and
here was Helen influencing Ruth her
| self in one of the most important issues
| OF her life. In the days that followed.
when talk was most fragrant among the
little crowd of people who knew Helen
best, Ruth was strangely silent.
Ruth was thinking, and thinking hard
| into her heart had come the recognition
OF what the war had done for Helen,
| IL was like n revelation II had brought
| out unexpected depths in Helen's char
| acter. Perhaps Helen might never have
| married Jim Townsend otherwise. and
| Ruth was almost convinced that Helen
had done the right thing. IT was the
personal sacrifice that Ruth had com,
in contact with. and II meant something
a great deal more IN her life than read.
Ing about German atrocities or knitting
| endless yards of gray and khaki wool.
because to- Unit was duty. The per
sonai side of the war had come into
Ruth's life at last. just little corner
| of II, but more and more was to come
! until Ruth understood what the war in
its biggest sense actually meant.
Into the hC;bed of personal opinions
that Helen Brander's marriage evoked
came the first letter from Scott Ray
! mond to Ruth. II was merry little
letter telling of doings on the ship. the
| landing. the excitement of what Scott
termed the adventure of the thing. a
! friendly little letter of personalities and
| Jest. but Ruth was astounded at the
wave Of relief that swept over her when
she realized that Scott had arrived
safely in France. She wondered curl
/ ously what her feelings would have beer
I IN pf hp lpt tpr at
! ter from Jack had come instead. She
| tried to- picture Jack in khaki and found
, IT almost impossible. Jack looked -
| steady and secure in his business clothes
khaki did not seem to suit him, and
/ yet how slim and eager Scott had
looked when he had come to see her on
one OF his trips up from camp.
Ruth did not realize how three months
had changed her. She did not realize
that she was changing still more every
day Of her life. She had waited eagerly
to- hear the outcome of Heen'E wild
step and had defended her hotly 10 any
one who questioned Helen's choice. Ruth
was even surprised at herself for doinG
this, but after she had thought things
out she realized that there was nothing
else to do.
Mrs. Brander was furious and hat
refused to see Helen. bur Helen did moi
gloriously happy, conscious only of each
others presence. taking advantage o
every single moment spent together
The ugly little apartment came to- b.
the center Of a great many gatherings
and Ruth found herself seeing more o.
Helen than she had ever done in hel
life before In moments alone Heller
confessed some of the more wonderful
things Cf life to Ruth---her confidence II
Jim. his consideration. the wonder o.
belonging TO him--just bits of confidence
that cropped out unaware, but bits that
that Ruth seized upon and treasured
and which made her wonder still more
When Jim got sailing orders. Heller
continued to be gay. She made ever,
moment count still more ; she never even
in moments alone with Jim. told hin
anything that was In her heart. nor az
she .confide anything of her agony I,
Ruth But Ruth read between me hines
She knew that IT would never be possible