Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-08-10
sANGUINE YOUTH.
CHAPTER II.

1t was not only in house furnish
ings that Ruth reveled; she loved,
also, dainty, soft fabrics to wear. Her
house Gowns she fashioned herself, oft
en- out of odd Oriental fabrics, and
her underwear was always of sheerest
softest lawn or silk.
Her street clothes were always sim
pie, as is always the case with people
of taste. She had little use for even
ing or party dresses, as the town was
small, and her aunt mixed with few of
the people.
Strangely, Ruth never had seemed
to mind this There were two or three
girls quite near her own age with
whom she was intimate, after fash
ion, and a few young men whom she
eOndescended to talk to if it were
unavoidable. But mostly she and her
aunt were together, each seemingly
satisfied to have it so-until Brian
Haekett came to visit his relatives.
Brian s uncle happened to be the
father of one of the girls whom Ruth
visited. She met Brian. He was a
college man-even if he had worked
his way-and was different from the
slow-going southern boys in whom she
had no particle of interest.
Brian Hackett was twenty-five years
old when Ruth met him, He was tall,
straight, and brOad-shouldered His
finely shaped head, brown hair and
eyes, white teeth. and winning smile,
were partly what had attracted the
beauty-loving Ruth. For, no one could
deny that Brian Hackett was hand
, some. Yet there was nothing in the
least effeminate about him.
1t was on the occasion of his second
visit that he proposed to Ruth and
was accepted. In the meantime, they
had correspondent 1t probably would
have made no difference TO Ruth, feel
i ing as she then did toward him, had
she known that he had hesitated to
make the second visit because of the
expense involved. But had Mrs. Clay
borne known it, she would have even
more urgently begged Ruth to remain
with her.
AUNT LAURA'S ULTIMATUM.
had said when he and Ruth discussed
the matter, 'altho l am selfish where
you are concerned. But | know you
never will be happy as a poor man s
wife. That it is so, is probably my
fault in great measure. Yet, L
imagine the love for beauty is so in
grained in your nature that you never
would have been contented in meager
surroundings, even had you not been
so indulged," Then, after long look
in which amusement struggled with
something else, something very like
disappointment, she added: "How
would you look washing dishes in
THAT - she indicated, by a gesture,
soft, trailing house robe of creamy
silk, fastened at the waist by heavy
cord, with the long flowing sleeves
open to the shoulder. The silk stock
ings and slippers she wore were of the
best.
"Perhaps I shan't have to wash
dishes, - Ruth answered, looking down
at her robe. "Perhaps -
"No, Ruth, it won t do" Her aunt
WOulu Try every mednS 10 SHOW Vhe
wilful girl that she was doing some
thing that would mean uahappiness for
both herself and Brian. "You have
had servants to wait on. you, to do
everything for you. Old Nanny has
been like a slave in her devotion to
you, and you never hesitate to call
upon the Others whenever you need
them. You have had your horses, now
your motor car, | have denied you
nothing. Brian Hackett does not earn
in year what spend for you in a
MONTH was going to say in a week.
but if you marry him or any man,
until / know he can take care of you
deeently, I shall not give you ons
penny as long as I live. I do not mean
to be cruel, Ruth, but -
Brian won t be poor long"
" What reason have you for believing
that he win not2"
"0h-because-he's 8 smart. He has
had college education -