Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-07
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR
Copyrioht, 1919, bv Public LEDGER Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

START THIS STORY TODAY
MTHEN Scott finally sought out Ruth
w that night she was worn out with
crying. The warmth and comfort of
his arms were good and she did not re :
pulse him, but she lay in them quietly
like tired child and her thoughts
were far away. Usually Scott had but
TO touch her and she would respond
with eager soft arms about his neck
and murmured endearments on her lips.
Tonight although he sat on the edge
of the bed and held her tear stained
face against him. they were rather far
away from each other. She did not even
endow him with any personality, he
typifed just man who was stronger
physically than woman, and she lay
there and rested and her thoughts
drifted He thought of her as a little
girl who needs comforting. but who
/ can be cuddled without giving much
Thought about it.
Scott never apologized to Ruth for
having arranged matters to his own
liking concerning the rent. He thought
she had cried because she was tired and
had gone through the ordeal of her
mothers death so recently, and Ruth
who had cried for lost ideal. kept
hard little spot in her heart and pre- =
pared to look for another apartment.
Alice in the meantime had not heard
from Bert, and although she felt ter =
ribly sorry for her, Ruth was beginning
to grow a little weary Of constantly
telling Alice that things would come
out all right. Perhaps they weren't
going to come out all right and il that
were the case, what was the use OF
keeping up Alices hopes? Yet how
could any one tell Alice such thing ?
Bert in the meantime put off writing
to Alice from day to day and the issue
was postponed in his mind. Alice was
thoroughly frightened as well as un
happy now. She began to believe that
she might be forced to go through with
this thing-that perhaps she had gone
too far. One minute she was furi-
ously angry, all of her old rage arising
In her heart against Bert and this
woman; the next she was sick at heart,
willing to concede anything just to get
him back.
o. 1t was rather an upset little house
hold these days.
The weather was getting warm, and
Ruth Sbegan to face the prospect OF
apartment hunting in the heat. She
decided to seize the first opportunity
TO look at several, but before she did
she was forced to show their apart
ment to some people who were looking
about. 1t gave her q queer feeling
Of having no privacy. Alice was not
we'll these days and she had taken to
lying in bed late in the morning. That
kept the living room in constant state
of disarray. Ruth heard Alice crying
in the night sometimes. and she hadn Z
the heart to soy anything to her about
sleeping in the morning, but she did
wonder how much longer Alice in =
tended to stay on them this way. She
had been with them a month now.
The morning that the first prospec
tivea atcnants arrived found the place
as Usual in a state of disorder. Alice
was stin in bed, the davenport was
strewn' with bed clothes, yesterday 8
dust was over everything, and as the
clock struck 10 Ruth jumped guiltily,
Wondering who it was. She went to
the door and opened it to two we'll
dressed women, one young and one old
er. In response to Ruth's questioning
look the younger woman spoke:
May we see the apartment? be-
lieve one is vacant"
Ruth thought agonizingly of the con :
dition of the living room and wondered
what to do. ...
"We are just getting up and things
are in frightful state" she began,
smiling apologetically. Gould you
come back later in the day."
The two women exchanged glances.
I'VE live so far uptown explained
the younger one. land to make a trip
of this kind twice is such a waste of
, time" Her tone was .unsympathetic !;
she plainly did not approve of any one
who got started so late in the day.
Ruth's checks burned and she thought
resentfully of Alice. For once she felt
no pity for her at all. the idea OF
ushering these strangers into that dis
ordered room was too humiiating. II
savored of tenement conditions, it made
Ruth feel ms though she had sunk rather
far in the social scale. Summoniug
what dignity she could muster up she
asked them to wait minute, and went
back to interview Alice.
You must get up right away" Ruth
said impatiently. ';Some one wants to
see the apartment Hurry, go in my
room. and I'll tidy up in here"
Alice jumped out of bed and vanished
e1nto Ruth's room, and Ruth had the
sNfedclothes off the davenport and into
4 ~. hall closet in seconds time.
When she ushered the strangers in a
few minutes later. however, she was
burningly aware of Alice's things strewn
around the room and the shabbiness OF
sFthe furniture showing plainly in the
strong sunlight that flooded the little
front room.
Tomorrow. "The Drabness Of Mo.
uNtouy 0nnresSes Ruth Mora ,ud