Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-15
DAILY NOVELETTE,
"DOWN THE LONG,
LONG ROAD"
by Margaret Brown
EROM her hilltop home Ann could sec

the bay and her kitchen window lay
miles of dingy roofs, but beyond the
roofs and beyond the bay Ann s
thoughts had made their way to a trim
white cottage by the sea where Babe"
her younger and prettier sister, was
spending the week end with their for
mer neighbors, the Stewart girls.
Gilbert Stewart, their brother, had
returned from France-a captain and
decoratcd-and the girls, she was sure,
were having a glorious time. A sense Of
loneliness. of being left out of every
thing, stole in upon her, and her
straight, black eyebrows puckered into
n frOwn.
AIMS troubles dated back to the first
day of January, now it was late sum
mcr. when the Ruggleses' housemaid had
taken her departure. This maid had
lived with the family for ten years
ever since Mrs Rugglcs's death. But
the lure of higher wages and ''no wash
ing had been too strong, so she left and
AIMS father could not afford to re-
place her. The war mad, he confessed,
"punChpd his business full of holes. /"
And now the hot weather had come
with vengeance and Ann Ruggles
baked and brcwcd and swept and
swrltcrcd to keep her father and Babe
in their accustomed comfort.
Once. soon after the housemaid had
gone. Babe had volunteered to help
Ann with the hOusewOrk. She would
she informed her dust the living room
every morning. But then she remem-
bcrcd. perhaps she had never forgotten
it. that Gilbert Stewart had told her
that she had the most beautiful hands
that he had ever seen. 1t would be
unwise to mar the beauty of her hands.
she had reasoned. and AIMS hands
were rcd and rough anyway, so the
duSting. like the sweeping and the
cooking. was left for Ann
Ann was still whipping the cream
and hravcly singing about ''lOng. long
road awinding' when clamor of girls
voices sounded at the front door A
moment later Babe. followed by Mary
Stewart, fIOunced into the kitchen.
"knn. oh. Ann" Babe was breath
less. Eve are going for IA moonlight
ride tonght-down the shore road and
and Gilbert says there isis room
enough for you-we-Gilbert is outside
in the car-hc-hp wants to know
"Do. please come. Ann" Mary
Stewart interrupted, "GiIbert says that
we ought to be aShampd--''
"Thank you. Mary" Ann broke in,
"but how can | leave on Saturday af
tprnOon? | have beans and bread in the
oven. and | promised father that we
would have shortcake tonight, and
and there is no one to take my place. y
"Thats just what | told Gilbert, g
Babe had assumed an injured tone. Il
told him that you would not come"
Ann Rugglcs did not reply. She had
begun to spread the cream over the
shortrakr. The two girls watched her
in silence.
Then Mary Stewart left the Kitchen
and in few minutes she returned with
a tall Young soldier in her wake.
Il have brought General, " Mary
Stewart began. 'and his orders must be
Obeyed."
Gilbert Stewart, erect smiling and
tanned the color of his khaki. stood in
the kitchen doorway.
YES. you've got to come. Ann. Mary
has volunteered to-to attend to things
while we-whilc you're gone. General
stammcrcd when | bring you back II
take Babe and Mary
Ann was delighted, but before going
she insisted that they all have short
cake and tea.
Babe with Mary Stewards assist g
ance, managed to get supper on the
table when her father came home, and
when the dishes were cleared away Mr..
| Ruggles took his pipe and sat on the
shaded porch and Babe and Mary, with
the aid of an electric fan and phOno
graph, found comfort in the living room,
1t was almost Q O'Clock when the big
car glded up to the door. Babe, who
had been impaticntly watching for it
since I o'clock, gave a sigh of relief.
She had heard Ann go upstairs. Gil
| bert stopped on the porch with her
! father. She could hear their voices
and wondered why Ann had not come
into the living room.
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