Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-27
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR
COPYRIGHT. 1919, by Public Ledger Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

TINCLE DAVID and Aunt Wihifred
~ treated both Ruth and Scott as
children. Everything that either Of
them suggested was sure to be passed
over in some way. Ruth did not mind
so much for herself, but she resented
it hotly for Scott. She felt that neither
Of her relatives thought that Scott's
opinion about anything amounted to
much.
The night after their arrival Ruth
overheard them talking together in the
living room. At first she would have
paid no attention to anything that was
said, then she heard her own name men
toned, and with scarlet cheeks she de-
liberately listened. -
Ruth is like her mother, no busi-
ness head at ALL" Aunt Winifred re-
marked. She was sitting near the lamp
knitting on some huge white needles
with soft blue wool.
"And She married a man with no
more sense in that direction than she
has herself. He'll never amount to
anything, nothing but a fifty dollar
clerk"
David, do you mean to say that is
all he gets"
1T certainly is"
A wave of fury rose in Ruth's heart.
How dare they discuss her that way?
How dare they come into her own
mothers home, and interfere and med
die? 1t was unbearabe. Her first
thought was to confront them with
what they had said, to embarass them
both by giving them to understand that
she had heard everything. But on
second thought she decided that that
would do no good. Her aunt and
uncle would think she was silly child.
And so she crept into her own old
room and sat down on the bed. Scott
found her there q little later and when
he asked her why she was sitting there
in the dark she replied shortly Man
like ne wondered what had happened
to make her speak like that. He did
not know that unconsciously Ruth was
taking out on him what she had over
heard her aunt and uncle talk about.
1t was unjust but feminine. Ruth had
been forced to face a meager salary be-
fore, she had gone without things she
wanted, but she had never had all her
props removed from under her. She
had always felt that at least her
mother belonged to the old set. the set
in which she herself had once lived in
which she had first become engaged to
Jack Bond. and had worn fur coats
and expensive lingerie without worrying
about the cost. Why had her mother
brought her up to have everything and
to work for nothing? 1t was so hard
TO bear the criticism of other people.
Ruth was waking up to the fact that
if Scott had money people would judge
. him by it no matter what else he lacked.
It was because he was poor and lacked
influence that her aunt and uncle treated
them this way.
Ruth felt helpless to do anything.
Just before she and Scott left fol-
home that night Aunt Winifred called
them into the living room. The next
day was the funeral.
''Of course Bobby will be here to-
morrow" Aunt Winifrcd observed.
"Oh, no." put in Ruth, cts MOI
necessary.
..I think it is, what do you say
David?"
Uncle David generally agreed with
Aunt Winifred. so he Immediately. OBJ
served, "Of course the child should b,
here"
''But he's so young and he won't un
derstand, what good will it do?' Rutl
protested Bobby was an unusual!
nervous child, and for the last two night
he had wept and sobbed in his sleep
Ruth wanted him kept away from tn,
funeral. She thought he should be KEEP
away; she had no idea her aunt ant
uncle would oppose her.
Uncertain as to what to say, she stooc
there before them. She was vaguel!
furious that Scott did not help her out
They had talked the matter over be
tween them and had decided that it wa
best not to have Bobby present, onl,
the night before. Why didn't Scot
speak?
Aunt Winifred," she began, "Bobb.
doesn't want to come, he doesn't under
stand at all he's frightened
''Frightened?" Aunt Winifred's shor
interjection was almost a snort. "He's
old enough to know better. That
simply foolishpess."
ouI hhoW bopDy, We hHOWn nlII
all my life; don't you see that mus
know him better than you do" Ruth's
tone was imploring.
''See here Ruth" put in her Uncl,
David, ''if Bobby is going home will
us, he might just as well learn our ways
now. There's no need of bringing up &
child and spelling him with notions
2 Bobby can begin to be man right now
! he'll have no whims humored when he
lives with us. He must learn not to bt
a mollycoddle."
7. co." choked Ruth, chow. can YOU
speak that way? Bobby isn't a molly
coddle, and he isn't going west. He car
stay with us, we'll take care of him."