Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-30
START THIS STORY TODAY

y
~ Natalie's wedding with Helen
Townsends and her own. Theirs had
both been so simple and Natalie's was
SO very gorgeous. Chattering people
crowded into the ribbon locked pews of
the great dim church, the long line of
bridesmaids walking two and two,
Natalie herself looking very white and
small and childish on the arm Of her
father, and then she, Ruth, standing
very still with the yellow roses lying
along her arm listening to the marriage
service and watching Jack and Natalie
being married.
Under the wide Hoppiness Of her pale
yellow hat, Ruth's eyes were thought
full. She wondered what Natalie was
thinking, and she could not help
wondering what were Jacks thoughts.
Did he remember at all those other
days? Was he glad or sorry after all
that he hadn't waited little before
dbhiHS 4NdtdltC W
Jacks face betrayed nothing Of what
was in his mind. Ruth could see it in
profile. and it was gravely serious.
Somewhere in the great silent church
was Scott, and all these people hushed
and silent now, these people who were
Natalie's and Jacks friends, what were
they thinking? Ruth's thoughts kept
leaping ahead in silent inquiries. She
wondered why she thought these things,
why she couldn't accept life as it was
without wondering about it so much.
She had had strange thoughts at her
own wedding, and she wondered sud-
denly what Natalie was thinking about.
Natalie's mind was almost blank
as far as any deep feeling was con-
cerned. She was thinking Of her gown,
and how it looked from the back. of the
guests and of what her friends were
thinking. Natalie's thoughts had gone
no further than the ceremony. Her
wedding was to her the great culmina
ton of her desires. She had carried off
one of the most eligible men in her set.
and certainly she ought to be satisfied
and happy, Natalie's philosophy of life
and happiness was very simple, she had
no creed, she just accepted everything
Ruth stole a glance at Helen, also
in yellow, but Helen's face was bent
low and was not visible under the large
hat. She stole glance to the right Of
her where the pink bridesmaids stood.
One was smiling introspectively. Ruth
knew her slightly, and remembered that
she had heard only lately of her engage
ment.
Then suddenly into the great silence
the organ pealed out, and almost i'm
mediately everywhere was murmuring
again. Ruth felt a great relief; she
hated weddings. In sort of blur she
saw Natalie's white little face lifted to
Jacks. There was something wonder
full in it, almost look of happy realiza-
ton. There was a breathless expect
ancy about it that somehow shocked
Ruth little. She had never imagined
Natalie transfgured by love, there
wasn't enough to her. Then in that in
stant of time that should have been
for his wife alone, Jacks eyes swept to
the left and met Ruth's. The express
sion in them was unmistakable. Ruth
whitened and her eyes dropped. She
wondered involuntarily if any one had
noticed. She felt suddenly weighed
with responsibility she knew that it
was true that Jack still cared for her,
and that it lay with her entirely just
how things were to proceed.
She thought of this afterward when
in the privacy of Natalie's little rose
pink bedroom. the bridesmaids lowered
about like gorgeously hued butterflies.
Natalie looked very small and vir-
ginal in her short lacy petticoat and
.underbodice, and yet she seemed very
calm and unfurried, and allowed herself
to be dressed without .evincipg much
excitement. Her hair looked unnatural
to Ruth, dressed as it was by fash
ionable hairdresser; it made her look
much older and more like sophisticated
woman. The air of the room was sweet
with expensive powder and perfumes
and the scent, from the bridesmaids
bouquets. Two girls were busy with
Natalie's expensive travelling bag that
stood upon on the bed, Natalie's mother
was uselessly standing about dabbing
her eyes with handkerchief and un-
able to help at all. Ruth herself sat
on the floor with Natalie's slim silk
stockinged foot in her lap. She was
adjusting the little pointed pumps and
the black satin spats. When she looked
up she met Natalie's eyes and smiled.
Natalie smiled back, her little girl smile,
and then she was standing up and some
one was slipping on the travelling suit
and the Russian soverblouse stiff with
embroidery, and the tight little hat. 1t
was Helen who flung the heavy fur
cape over Natalies shoulders and hand
ed her her gloves and purse, and then
she was ready. Even then, she did not
look as though she was going away
with her lover, and Ruth remembered
afterward her thought that perhaps it
was better so. Natalie accepting life
just is it came would not want so much
out of it. As long as she was beauti-
fully dressed, and had beautiful home,
she would not worry about whether Jack
adored her or simply felt platonically
L L.I