Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-21
And So They
Were Married
BY HAZEL DEyO BATCHELOR
COPYRIGHT, 1919, bv Public Ledger Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

OUCH crowds of curious people as the
oone that Sunday afternoon became
frequent visitors to the Raymond apart
ment, much to Ruths amaZemcnt and
not exactly to her liking. She did not
exactly fancy this cagerness with which
her old friends wanted to renew her ac-
quaintance. She did not understand that
the rather iaded feelings of tho girls she
had known. the girls who had nothing
TO do from morning till night but en-
JOY themselves. were stimulated by this
new idea of living 1t was fashionable
uptown to know people who lived down
town. and Ruth had in some strange
way associated herself in the minds of
her friends with all of the interesting
people of 'thc village
Ruth found herself meeting and know.
ing more attractive people than she had
ever known in her life. 1t was cheaper.
too, living this way because the stand
ard of living was not so high. People
seemed to take for granted that no one
had much money to spend and Ruth and
Scott found il not at all hard to keep
within their income.
Elsie Carstairs in particular came to
see Ruth often. The subject of the wed e
ding had been carefully avoided by Elsie
herself and naturally it was impossible
for Ruth to act as though she cared one
way or another about it. Neither was II
possible for her to treat Elsie other
than cordially in her own home.
Ruth saw that Elsie was tremendously
attracted to Gene Elsie had been mar
ried only few weeks but she had not
married for love. she had been pushed
into it by her ambitious mother. and Joe
Banning had wealth enough, If he had
nothing else. The first day that Ruth
was really conscious Of the fact that
Elsie cared anything about Gene was
one afternoon when Elsie had driven
down in her big limousine with the win =
dows all raised so that the cool air
rould blow in. and had insisted that
Ruth come out to tea.
Ruth did not want to go. but she
found it hard to make an excuse and il
wasn't until the two girls were out ir
the limousine together that Elsie saC
carelessly. Lets drop over at Mr.
Mathews's studio. He asked mo to com,
sometime. and I'm eager to see it"
atcly became flushed and talkative. Sh,
was obviously doing everything in hc1
power to win Ruth over to her side o
things. and finally she said impulSvcl!
as the car slid through the arch ant
into the square.
Ruth. | wonder il you are hOldin,
the fact that I didn't invite you to m,
wedding against our friendship. Yol
know I've always liked you. but some
how YOU and Scott had dropped on
of things uptown: one never saw yol
around. and 7 didn't know whethe
you'd care to see me married or not.
Ruth almost laughed aloud at thi
fragrant attempt of Elsie to ingratiat
herself. The whole thing was so ob
vionS.
'You soc. we had heard about you
having taken position and we knev
that YOU were busy Elsie went on.
Ruth could not help saying somethin
here. "llclen Townsend has n posi-
tion. too. hasn't she. and haven't ha
my position in months"
Elsie flushed consciously. "Oll
Ruth" she said. drprecatingly. "Ho,
could know that She was visibl
embarrassed.
Ruth was thinking that Helen wa
invited because of the fact that he
father and mother moved in the yer
best circles and were among til
wcalthicSt people in the entire set tha
was what made the difference, but sh
did not say so. Instead she laughed
and said lightly:
What does it matter. anyway
was awfully bad taste of Elsie to brin
it up at all. but Of course she had
reason
"Thcn it's all right and you will le
me be your frieDd" Elsie could affOr
TO be sweetly humble They were draw
ing up in front of Gene Mathews's stu
dio now and Elsie was plainly excited
Ruth had secret delight iu noting til
chauffeur's dsdain as he eyed the yawn
ing doorway in the old red brick hous'
the frankly curious people on the side
walk, the many children Gene had
place in the old part of town. Sh
hoped that Elsie would be properly i'm
pressed.
But Elsie thought it all delightful
She exclaimed prettily as they picke
their way across the pavement and Il
the stone steps WIN tne SaSSlng lro
balustratc and then on up the fight
of dark stairs. Elsie held her daint
skirts away from the walls almost in
tuitivcly, and Ruth, who was walkir
behind. smiled grimy.
Isn't it cxciting?" Elsie cxclaime
delightedly as the two girls paused @
the top landing. which was not so dar
due to the fact that a small skyligl
was set in the roof.
Ruth knocked at the big door on or
side and the next minute Gene himsel
envploped pictureSQuely in big paint
ing apron. opened the door. Bpyor
ensconccd in a raised chair sat mode
the light from the full length skyligl
farcd directly over her. Things cou
not have been better timed for the in
pressing of Elsie. All this vaguely dis
gustcd Ruth. although she could NJ
help being interested. She wondered
Gene were aware of anything, and "
how could he help but be; men were a
ways aware of woman's devotion.
Tomorrow Elsie i'm Genes Studio