The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-12-30
HE DAILY
TORT STORY
Starting in Right.
z az DORA NOLAN.
BY ppdA moLLSN'
Copyright, 1918, by the -McGiare
Newspaper Syndicate.)

. ,
into his voice while his arm foanu
its way around Ruth's slender waist Bis
,You do love me, don't you RUTH
eYes, " replied Ruth Redtield, trem-
Hing, but confidently.
So they settled their future under
ihe maple tree by the spring, with an
August moon looking down. And the
\ transforming light Of that heavenly
body sIurred kindly over the cruac
and lovely aspects Of the little New
England farm emphasizing the in
herent beauty of the scene. To Ruin
tiiat moonglow typified Halls love Tor
her. which, shining down the path
way Of her life, would transfgure
every sordid detail.
The next day Halls vacation visit IN
the vicinity came to an end ana ne
returned to the city. I'm gong "
plug hard and make good n uth, anu
lust as soon as can saw enough SO
NE can start in right, we VIII De
married.
Ruth. wonderfully happy, acquiesc-
al she wanted time to dream over
y this new element in her life and there
would be so many things for her
clever Yankee fingers to work on as
she dreamedt Things for herself and
the new home In the big city.
y. Mrs. Redfield took the news calm.
5ly: life had taught her the futiltty OF
q taking any news otherwise. GU LeL.
joe Ruth requested, not meeting Ie5
mothers eye And Mrs, Redtielo uIu
that evening after Ruth had gone ~
her room. Joe Hodges sat across tae
table. plunged in study, for he attend
< ed nearby agricultural school, 40
y ing the rough work on the Redtielu
farm for his board.
4 Mrs. Redfield didn't raise her eyes
from the rags she was sewing, nor dlo
she reply to the boys choking, I'm
splad for her." But after while she
walked around the table and put her
ehand on the bowed head. All thihgs
sEurn out Cor the best, Joe," she said
Good might. {" IT.
< Then Joe Hodges, cienchlng MS S
atoilsroughened hands, deciaeu ~
carry on; to stick to his plans for the
future-with one change. Thre "ocC
be no woman in them; if Ruth was
NOT for him then he wanted no one.
s II was Characteristic Of Joe that ne
never considered leaving the Redfield
farm. but stuck on working harder
than ever and trying to be to Ruin
as a kindly, helpful brother.
Ruth Informed her friends that her
wedding would take place the follow
Sing sprlng. Hal wants time to save
enough so we can start in right" she
.Swould add proudly. We're going 10
have one of the most modern apart
mepts. so won't be slave to house
work. !"
Z There followed busy days when
Ruth. singing over the task, dyea
various scraps of material in bright
CoIors and cunningly fashioned them
into gay little rugs. Then word came
.from Hal that he feared the rugs slfe
described wouldn't fit at all in the
sort of apartment he had planned 10
i take. Ruth put them away regretfulIy:
but in a few days bits of white ma
!, terial and dainty laces took their
4 places and the singing was resumed
After another letter from Hal these
vanished also. Ruth deliberately eX-
/; planned to her mother that Hal had
/ advised saving her money and buying
everything in the city at the last mo-
ment. "He says styles change so rap
{ idly one can't be- sure so far a9eaa
That things will be right" Mrs. Red
/; fields lips came together in straight
line but she offered no remonstrance
in words,
Az spring drew near Hal received
raise. Everything looks fine for the
big event to come off as per schedule"
She wrote. On the heels Of this follow.
Z ed less cheerful news, The rents OF
model apartments had advanced fas-
ter than his salary. Didn't Ruth think
thew had better wait till they coulu
I afford what they wanted? Ruth ans
! wered Eyes, as she was so evidently
expected to do.
Next Ruth busted her restless
hands with curtains, hemstttching
Z them with definite care, happy in the
belief that they couldn't fail to tit
Z into any simple home But Hal vetoed
4 them. too, when he came on for his
summer vacation. Nobody uses plain
white curtains now" he explained
with elaborate kindness. "They must
match the color scheme OF the room
( they are designed for. Well buy
them. !"
/ joe ,overbearing this, itched for
Z chance to lay his strong hands on~the
I slender city chap; to take him by the
collar and knock some sense into his
head, or some nonsense out.
When Halleft he assured Ruth that
they would be married by Christmas
4 sure. But the girls interest in things
I seemed to lag. Christmas drew near;
Thai wrote that the, firm declined to
tive him vacation then. Whenever
Joe,s eyes fell on Ruth's listless face,
1 he harbored thoughts akin to murder,
But Mrs. Redfield's words REQUIRED to
him; "All things turn out for the
(. best.
So Joe just plodded ahead and car
! ried out his plans. In March he fin
I shed his agricultural course and
\ Fought an abandoned farm nearby,
There was dilapidated house on lie
property, and into this he moved.
Another hired man took his place on
The Redtield farm.
Ruth worked feveFlshly making
iToe's house comfortable for him. She
Z brought out the gay rag rugs and the
\ 6emstitched white curtains. When Joe
{, attempted to demonstrate she answer
ed that she had no use for them and
I lot enough to do to keep her busy.
When the house was as complete
I rs she could make 1t. Ruth formed the
habit Of spending an hour or two each