Catoctin clarion., 1918-02-14
frederick COUNTY, MD, THURSDAY FEBRUARY H. 1918

ing still further to try her charms on
a man whom she knows to be her
admirer.
julius was reluctant. Don't you
think I'd better" he said. II mean
wouldn't 1t be the conventional thing
to do? If you had let The nanny
stay In then we might have prolonged
the party-but, you are all alone"
Ruth shot back glance of indig-
nation but more of disappointment.
She told him she did not think the
speech was worthy Of him and julius
admitted that he had been rather
clumsy.
"Amy Nair says that no really
emancipated people give those foolish
conventions a thought and she says
that it Is people who invent them and
who see evil In smoking and unusua!
but beautiful costumes who are really
the immoral people. And she says that
1t Is our duty-rsally our duty-to
show people that morality and decen-
cy don't depend on few stupid and
as virtuous as my own mother and yet
she does things every day that would
make people like you condemn her."
julius tried to make some stand for
himself and mumbled something about
the impossibility for a girl so pretty
as Ruth was, to live with the freedom
of a young bachelor and then Ruth
went off again on Il spirited defense
Of Amy Nair and her own position.
"That's just it. Women have to take
their place in the world and work as
hard as men. It's just a wOrn-Out
prejudice that makes you think that
there are certain things a woman may
do and certain things a man may do.
Why, Amy Nair says that If she had a
son and he had taste for dressmak-
ing she'd make him great dress
maker, just to show people that the
old ideas about special vocations for
men and women are all poppycock and
nonsense. l don't see why man
shouldn't do anything that woman
does and surely / don't see why I
shouldn't have as many privileges as
you."
| The conversation drifted back to less
heated topics and an hour later when
Julius finally left he was in a state
of mental confusion. One thing he
was sure of, however, and that was
that he was completely in love with
Ruth and that in spite Of the fact that
she hadn't yet begun to firt with him.
Then julius asked Ruth to supper
In his rooms. In the interval they
hadn't mentioned the subject Of their
heated discussion. And at half past
seven Ruth found herself seated be-
fore julius cheerful open fireplace
in his bachelor apartment-Julius
himself in a daintily flowered dressing
gown at the other side Of the fender.
From the book pocket at the side Of
his chair he pulled out ball of yarn
and without comment began to knit
not at all easily but still in a measure
effectively. Ruth's eyes opened wide.
"Well of all things !" she exclaimed;
then as she met julius eyes she
paused and changed the subject.
get supper. He had left his man off.
he said. so he could give Ruth a sam
pie Of his cooking and after supper
he dOnned IN apron and cleared away
the dishes and remained long enough
in the kitchen to tell Ruth that he had
h tn ha lfch To
that sort Of thing, he told her.
At ten Ruth rose to go. "Pve been
awfully glad to have you here" he
told her, making no move to 60 and
don his coat and hat to see her home.
ats so seldom one finds girl that
will come and spend an evening with
a man like this. I hope you'll come
often" Ruth paused - said goodby
and started out. A second later she
returned. She asked Julius to call
taxi. She said she didn't like to 60
through the streets alone at that time.
Amy Nair says it is rather danger
GUS for girl alone" But there were
two tears in her eyes as she returned
and julius, with coat and hat on ready
to follow her, was quick to see them.
He put a protecting arm around her
shoulder as they started out together.
II know you're just been teasing me
Il know you don't usually knit or
wear flowered dressing gown" she
said. "And didn't in the least want
to come alone to see you, but didn't
want to refuse after all I'd said. Why
have you been so unfair to me?"
Because I was a little Jealous"
said julius. jealous of Amy Nair.
She has taught you good deal Of
good sense and some foolishness."
And before they had reached Amy
Nair's studio that night Ruth, like the
frank little girl that she was, had told
julius that she loved him and had
consented to be his wife.