Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-02-05
BBBRaBBN9SHHBa
THEWlFE
By Jane Phelps.
MRS, CLAIBORNE PLANS TO HELP
RUTH'S "'WAR BABIES.''
8@s96BNB8@BB88G
CHAPTER CIV.

| AAoV VNSly tHAug mas cOnlpenSdtlonSi
Brian and Ruth were fast learning.
Even their own Misunderstanding
made them more lenient of the misun.
derstandings of others, and their sor.
row more pitiful.
They spent happy, busy days togeth-
or, waiting until the doctor gave Brian
permission to take up his work again.
Then when it was necessary to wait a
little longer: "0nly a week" the ply
sician had urged, they took a flying
trip south to see Mrs. Cyborne, who
sent them check to cover their ex.
penses.
Ruth was delighted to go. Not alone
because it was home to her, and THAI
it would be pleasure to see once moro
her girlhood friends, but because the
invitation meant that Mrs. Clayborne
had at last forgiven her for marrying
Brian, and that she had come to believe
in him. Then, too, Ruth was anxious
to show her baby boy to all her friends,
and to the old servants who would be
so delighted with "lil marse," as they
were sure to call him.
Brian grew rapidly strong and when
they returned at the end of ten days
he no longer carried his arm in sling,
and his face had the ruddy hue Of
health.
The servants had been wonderfully
pleased with the baby. "Missy Ruth IS
boy" they were so proud of the sol
dier she had brought with her, that
Ruth threatened to be jealous, declar.
ing they thought more Of him than of
her.
"It's the uniform, Ruth" Brian told
her when she laughingly complained,
yet was so pleased she could not avoid
showing it. "They like the frills."
And l love what IS inside the frills
If that is what you call a uniform. I"
"That is thing never shall under
stand. How you ever came to love me
in the first place, and why in spite
of my stubbornness you have kept right
on caring for me"
"There isn't any understanding love
think, Brian; we either love or we
don't That's all there is to it. And
if we really love we love in spite of
faults, unhappiness, sorrow, everything
aud anything"
81 guess you are right, Ruth. You
seem nearly always to be. You should
have been the lawyer, not 1. Really
you could argue g. man into doing al
most anything. | think you better take
a law course and become, one of the
firm
And so go to business regularly
again?" Ruth teased, although she
knew Brian was joking.
"God forbid" he returned so sol.
emnly that she burst out laughing.
"Silly, silly boy. am just as pleas
ed to stay at home as you 80 TO nave
me, now that you haven't taken by
work entirely away" Ruth iaughlngly
kissed him. Then, HHow nice 1t IS to.
be together, Brian. am sure / never
shall feel like complaining again, no
matter what happens.
"Neither shall L When l think of
how much we have to be grateful for,
Ruth, l feel like saying: THANK God.
We have our health, ] was not perma.
nently injured, we have our boy, and if
trying will make it so, we shall be able
to live comfortably. When I think of
some of the poor devils who have re-
turned minus legs and arms, some of
them blind, | cannot fail to be grateful.
I was willing to give--even to the su-
preme sacrifice, butt
81 am so happy it was not required"
Ruth broke in, her eyes misting at the
thought Brian s tone had been full of
thankfulness. It seemed that sll petit.
ness had vanished from him because
of what he had gone thru-because of
his experiences overseas. He had seen
death in many forms and had been
often so close to it himself that it had
bred in him seriousness never before
observable--a sort of solemnity, when
he talked of the war, that made him
seem infinitely older and wiser.
At times Ruth felt that she had
new husband that the old Brian had
left her forever. Then there would flash
out the old, careless, eare-free spirit
and she would recognize the boyish fell
low she had married; and be glad that
it was so. For while she loved the
more quiet, more responsible man who
had returned to her, she also loved the
boy who, if he eouldn Z do
Jas he wanted to--couldn' 4 have others
agree with him, would do nothing.
A letter came from Mrs. Clayborne:
GAS l promised, | shall be with you
the last of the month. I shall remain
only little while, for / have
planned to take more war widows whose
babes never have seen their fathers,
down home with me. In fact, as many
as the old plantation can accommodate.
II will gibe me an interest in life sside
from doing only what I selfishly love
to do-being with you. So have your
self IN readiness to help me find the
most deserving Of your proteges to take
back with me. =
Tomorrow The end Of the old and the