Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-13
ARTICLE NXIII

NHAT night after Jack had left, Ruth
\ took UP the little calendar on her
desk and counted off the days UP to the
barely two months away: II lacked four
days of being two months. and some
how those four days seemed important
= With little sigh she crept in between
The sheets and tried to sleep, but sleep
would not come. Instead. came all man
ner Of wild thoughts to disturb her, and
the longer she lay the more confused
was her mind.
why don't come right out and saw
~ can't marry Jack in two months" she
asked herself over and over again. And
then would coina the "e1roof "How
could you think Of hurting him so when
you don't even know YOUR own
thouEhtsc"
And II / loved him once. and ] sure
ly did" the busy thought went on. "I
must love him still, only I've changed
somehow, because tonight when he
kissed me l hated it ="
She buried her face in the pillow.
But there will be other times" went
on that tormenting voice speaking in
her brain. ''Other times when he will
kiss you. There will come a time when
YOU will go away and be alone with
him, when there will he no place to
go for refuge outside of his arms: what
then?'
Yes, what then. what them" The
thought echoed itself over and over
again.
u don't want to he married" her
heart would cry out in rebellion, 81
~ ss1n't see why ! ever wanted TO be mar
fieo. can't see in marriage what
Heien sees. Helen wanted to be alone
Win jim even in that ugly fiat. and now
don't want to be alone with Jack
even In my own home What will il be
IKE when / am living with him in the
apartment downtown"
Huth's thoughts flew in retrospect IN
tne apartment, How would 1t seem to
= really live in it with Jack? Once she
had thought that the external things
flike pretty clothes and really lovely
hings in ones home We're what mat
tered. She moved restlessly on her nil
low and the heavy diamond ring scratch
i ed against her face
w She sat up in bed and drew II off. For
. moment she sat still with il in her
Ahand- Then she leaned across and
puled the little brass chain of the cleo
Aric lamp The light flooded the he'd
nd at the foot Ruth could see her own
re In the mirror. ,angfe of hair
raining wide, tragic eyes She dropped
~fhe ring on the table and breathed
little sigh of relief. Then, with
the light on, she decided TO bury herself
In magazine story until she forgot
her troubles and fell asleep. II was The
old, old story of lodging issues. Ruth's
mother always dodged issues and Ruth
had always done the same. To put
troublesome thoughts out of her head as
quickly as possible had always been
Ruth's way of solving problems. until CT
late, when the problems had grown
larger and more difficult to solve.
The magazine story began well. but
Ruth had not read through the first
Snage before she realized that il con,
fAtned problem that needed TO bs
solved. The girl in it was married tc
8 = man in France, and was on the point
ok cunning away with another man wher
news was received that made her reaIiz,
just in time how narrow had been hel
= e<cape and how irreVOcably mistaken
al,e had been in the man she had though
more desirable than her husband
Ruth threw the magazine away from
\ her and II fell TO the floor some dis
& lance away Her eyes fell involuntaril!
on the cedar chest and she suddenly de
rided to get up and lock through it. Per
4 haps that would make her sleepy.
With the piles of lingerie on her lap
1.-The soft satin, the delicate crepe d
chine. the dainty accessories that sh
h1d thought so vital part of any girl
Hnyriage. her mind began to work one
> 1}3fe along dangerous channels. Sh
$161 thrilled TO the idea of wearing thes
"a 1S1aents. as any girl would thrill a
n6thing new and strangely wonder
q They were TO be worn for Jack
she shook out the frills of he
~ extravagant negligee and slippe
11 II as the thought occurred to hei
~ lcvely II was, but did she need II
nnfhing more simple perhaps woul
~ been just as effective; perhap
did not notice things so closel
uo1non thought they did; the ger
ococt was what mattered.
- had bought = now. and ther
- thinking what she migi