Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-03
And So They
We're Married
ny HAZEL DEyO BATCHEL0R
Copyright, 1919. bv Public Ledger Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

pUTH went home that night furious
~ with Jane, to find Scott waiting for
her. He was amused at finding her so
cross. but when she told him in detail
what she had done and the money she
had spent on Joy, his face grew grave.
Don't you think that was foolish? ?"
he asked.
Now it is one thing to spend nine dol
lars on another woman's child and to
do without a hat. and quite another
not TO have it appreciated. She had
thought that Scott would approve what
she had done. would approve her un-
Nclfisbness, instead of that he thought
her foolish.
''You see," he went on, ''you evi.
IDENTIFY rushed into It without thinking
you could have managed without an
expenditure of that kind. Besides, it
you had waited for Jane she might have
found some things for you.'
"But Scott it was SO fascinating
buying baby's things, you can't imagine.
Little soft things, and somehow you
must buy the best. you feel that you
can't economize. And Joy had nothing,
absolutely nothing to put on
Ruth's tone was soft and reflective,
her eyes were dreamy. Scott looked at
her and caught his breath suddenly. He
had never seen Ruth just like that.
Many times he had seen her softened,
but it had been through love Of him;
now he felt as il she had cut him en-
tirely out of her thoughts; he had
never felt 80 remote from her. Ih1s
was new Ruth, surprising Ruth, a
woman. who for the first time since he
had married her. had considered some
thing that left him out Of her con-
siderations.
It was not surprising that as Ruth
and Scott were in the midst of their
dinner. the bell rang and Jane appeared.
She looked jaunty and self satisfied.
She wore a slim little silk frock, modish
and trim, and little dark blue hat
with a feather brim. Her slim feet
were encased in brown silk stockings
and pointed brown suede pumps. She
carried a new handbag.
"How do you like me?' she bubbled.
'I hurried right over to show you. and
! have the most wonderful news"
Jane was at her best, and tonight
she had everything, all her irrepressiole
personality without her usual casual
grooming to detract from it. She was
radiant, entirely self assured. But
Ruth could remember nothing but
desolate little Joy in her dirty play
clothes as she had seen her that after
noon, and for the moment she hated
Jane.
'I've sold my story Jane put in
4 here.
This was excitement enough to de-
tract Ruth's thoughts from Joy for the
moment.
30, Jane, really?"
''Yes, hence the finery.'
Its great approved Scott.
Jane preened like a satisfied little
bird under his admiring look, and then
with one Of her quick changes, turned
back to Ruth. -......
"I was so sorry to have missed you
this afternoon. Was Joy all right:
Did she get her dinnerT"
Haven't you been homer
mot yet"
The new tenderness toward Joy that
y had been born that afternoon when Ruth
i bathed and dressed her suddenly famed
up again and Ruth exclaimed,
80, Jane how could you leave Joy
that way?"
'How could I leave her? Why, what
do you mean? have to go to the office,
you know
"Yes, but you went shopping this
afternoon"
''I know I did, but it's the first day
have ever done such a thing, and
heaven knows I needed the things"
'But Joy hadn't a clean thing to
nut on. Mrs. Mapes and looked every
where
'aThat's true. the laundry hadn't
come when l left this morning. L ex-
pect she was pretty bad when you saw
her," Aud Jane laughed her pretty
little girl laugh that was at once SO
irresponsible and so sweet. =.
Ruth's face was a study. How couio
Jane be so heartlcss concerning Joy
4 She didn't deserve to be the mother oi
such a darling baby. Why hadn't Jan'
spent some of the money for that story
on some things for JOY, instead OF
new outfit for herself?
"I went downtown and bought som'
I things for the baby" Ruth said deliber'
ately. Ordinarily she wouldn't have
mentioned it, but now she felt that II
she could reach Jane in any way, de-
stroy her confidence and bring her tc
a realization of her selfshness, sh'
would do or say anything at all.
Jane looked curious that was all.
"You bought some things for JoyT
she repeated.
Scott looked uncomfortable as any
man would have under the circum
stances, but Ruth went resolutely on.
''I had to-" she said, ''the baby was
in an awful condition, she had to have
things. Didn't you think of her at al
this afternoon when you were shop
ping?"
(Tomorrow-Jane Apologies ia
+. D..Ak