Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-30

SeWHAT can this be, coming in the
w middle of the month";" Ruth said,
wrinkling her forehad as she tore open
the envelope. The note written on a
single sheet of paper was brief and to
the point. 1t read as follows:
Mr.. Scott Raymond,
Dear Sir-Beginning with October,
the rent of your apartment will be
increased fifteen dollars a month.
As early a reply as possible stating
whether or not this will be salts
factory to you will be appreciated.
Very truly yours.
I knew It," exclaimed Ruth,
''they're going to raise the rent. l
expected it, but not as much as this
We can't possibly afford it,
Alice came out Of her own troubles
long enough to take some interest in
Ruth's affairs. "Will you have to
move?"
"Of course" There was a little
feeling of fear in Ruth's heart as she
said it. For the first time in her life
she was afraid of the lack of money.
Many times before she had felt annoy
ance, intolerance and even anger be-
cause of the lack of money, but never
before fear. She wondered If Scott had
It in him to get ahead. What would
happen if he didn't? If this had
happened few weeks before she would
have had her mother behind her, her
mother who had always seemed some
how, a blessed link that held Ruth to
her girlhood. Now she and Scott were
entirely on their own. unless they could
call upon SCOTS people in an emer-
gency. Ruth felt no desire to do this ;
she had never been at all intimate with
Scott's people. Scott's mother always
had that manner of observing things
satirically and laughing up her sleeve.
Ruth had always detested it. She al
ways thought of Mrs. Raymond as i'm
maculate in blue serge and crisp white
frills, and with that slight enigmatic
smile curving her lips.
Ruth's thoughts went on mournfully
She had not slept well, and she had
borne great deal in the past week
which helped to make her depressed
now. Suppose she and Scott sank
into sordidness. 1t was bad enough
now living three fights up in a cheap
apartment house. Certainly they could
do no better; they might have to pay
the increase anywhere they happened
to go, and fifteen dollars a month tc
be saved out of Scott's money meant
sacrifice to the limit.
Her first thought was to rush to the
telephone to tell Scott. She wanted
him to help bear this new trouble, bu
she resisted the impulse. What goot
would it do and it would cause him 6
miserable day. She would try not tt
think of it; she would think of Alice
troubles and forget her own.
As Alice carried out the breakfast
dishes and Ruth ran the hot water il
the dishpan, Ruth said suddenly:
"You love Bert, don't you. AliceT
Alice looked at her. Love him y
she exclaimed.
Enough for anything?'
eyes"
"Well. then I'd do everything coul'
to get him back You admit that all o
this is caused by your nagging; you'v
found it out late in the game, but a
least you've discovered it.
A few weeks ago Ruth would not hav
dared speak so frankly to Alice. Sh
would have been afraid of her shar
tongue and the biting things that sh
could fling out at people. Now Alic
was humbed to the ground, willing t
do anything to regain her happiness.
"Have you ever admitted to Bert tha
you were in the wrong"
Alice shook her head.
"Then do it. This is the way
look at it. You've been jealous of hil
always for no reason, finally he ha
given you cause. If you love him enoug
to overlook any foolishness of his. an
never to remind him of it, write to hi
and tell him.
II could never forgive him if
thought he hadn't been true to me-"
This was the old Alice, sharp and re
lcntless.
'That's the chance you have to TAX
don't you see; that's your punishment
You either have to let him 60 if yo
are strong enough to do without him, {
to take him back if you love hi
enough
Ruth was unconsciously sounding IL
real depths of life. When a woman
miserable without a man and knows 81
will be miserable if she goes back
him, it is for her to decide which wa
she would rather suffer.
(Tomorrow--The truth about Alice