Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-19
CHAPTER VII

TN THE days that followed Ruth
L learned gradually what It meant to
live intimately with another person
Living at home had been entirely DIFF
ferent. II she had cared to differ with
her mother IT was possible, but now II
she differed from Scott in any way 1t
vaguely disturbed her.
Scott did such surprising things TOO
In their new little apartment, where
they settred after the brief honeymoon
he would stand and contemplate the
shining tiled bathroom for minutes at a
time. Ruth discovered him standing IN
the doorway one day just looking AT
things, and when she asked him what
he saw. he grlnned sheepishly and said !;
Looks great, doesn't 1t, all that
white tile stuff and the tub and every
thing? Look" turning on the hot water
| faucet, "hot water whenever you want
It, lots Of It. 1t means plenty OF baths
| a bath whenever want to take one
20 Scott. dearest, was it that bad
over there?"
Bad? It couldn't have been worse.
feel as II can never get enough of these
honey things" He followed her out to
the scrupulous little kitchen, where the
shining gas stove. the white-enameled
icebox, the porcelain tubs and sink all
| fascinated him, and watched her pre-
pare the simple meal. Ruth was very
| much of a novice so far, but she was
learning, and wonder of wonders, she
really liked it. She loved being re-
sponsible for this tiny new home. she
loved being called Mrs. Raymond, she
examined closely the fingers OF other at
| t-a tt,,a, Oh
on the street, anywhere at all for that
telltale gold band and always a sense
| Of elation enveloped her. She felt as
though she had been selected to belong
| to the chosen few. It was wonderful to
| be married
i To be sure the apartment was not the
perfect nest that Jack Bond, to whom
she had been engaged before she dis
| covered that she loved Scott instead,
had leased for her. 1t was not in such a
fashionable neighborhood; I'm fact, the
neighborhood was not fashionable at all
neither was it sordid, it was simply re-
spectacle. The apartment house looked
very nice from the outside and one had
to walk up three flights Of stairs to
reach the Raymond's apartment. Blu,
| once attained, the apartment was really
sweet, although 1t was small. There
| were tnTee rOOHls, living room, q uln
ing room and a bedroom The kitchen
although 1t was larger than the pro
verbal kitchenette, was not very larg,
at that, but 1t had the most modern o.
convenience, and the tiny white bath
room was a miracle of modern plumbing
Scott had given up definitely his hop,
Of getting back into active service, fo
the wound in his back had been too
serious to permit of it. Ruth felt tina
he had somehow clung to that hope II
spite Of everything, but 1t had been shat
tered at last, and fearful of asking hin
how he felt about 1t she had kept he
thoughts to herself. Today, as h,
watched her preparing dinner on tn
strength of what he had said about tn
modern conveniences, she said suddenly
"Then you don't resent so much no
going back?"
Instantly his keen face was align
with dreams and Ruth felt suddenl,
locked out of his thoughts.
II do when l think about it," he sal,
shortly, and left the room.
20, I shouldn't have said that" Rutl
said to herself fercely. I've hurt him.
And as she went on with what she wa
doing. hot tears gathered In her eye