Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-02
And So They
Were Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
Copyright, 1919, bv Public Ledger co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

THAT night Scott and Ruth had
- long talk. Ruth waited until they
were alone to tell him about the in
crease in rent. and Immediately upon
reading the letter from the agents Scott
remarked that they would have to
move.
Tears came up in Ruth's throat and
she swallowed desperately. She felt
sorry for herself. She could look into
the glass from where she sat, and she
looked verp pretty and desirable in her
soft rose negligee with her hair about
her shoulders. 1t seemed hard that she
had SO much to bear. 1t wasn't enough
that her mother had died and Bobby had
been taken away from her, but now
this other thing poverty had come to
! haunt her.
where. Scott?'
II don't know. Wen have to look
around"
But there are no places. Surely
you We heard that and read about it in
the papers again and again. We might
better pay the increase here and save
on the moving"
1T is impossible There was def
nitencss in SCOTS tone that Ruth felt
could not be combatpd. Ruth almost
forgot that she loved Scott very much
that minute. Ruth hated coercion and
she felt just now that Scott should have
given her the chance to at least say
what she thought about matters without
taking everything into his own hands
and deciding for her, She was thinking
of how she had hated having this apart
ment in this neighbornood. Now it
seemed altogether desirable at the
thought of moving into a still cheaper
one. She thought of how she had strug-
ged not to feel patronage in the treat
ment of her friends who had better
homes-Natalie for instance, and Isabel
and others. But now things would be
even worse.
IF only we could make more
money Ruth was sorry the minute she
had said that. but the words were out
now and she looked at Scott to see
what he would say.
II know you have been thinking that
for a long time" SCOTS tone was
very quiet.
"I haven't; oh, I haven't" protest
ed Ruth, afraid now that the words
had been spoken between them.
eyes YOU have. I've seen you look
at me often with that expression in your
eyes. The opinion your aunt and uncle
had of me influenced you"
1 Ruth knew that it was true.
"Once | thought that the only thing
to do was to marry you,' Scott went
on. i've always loved you. you know
that"
"Oh. Scott. and love you.
He took the hand that she flung out
to him. but there was detachment
about the way he held it that was mark
cdly different from his usual tenderness.
Ruth felt the detachment and was
afraid. Scott went on speaking. He
held her hand still in his loosely as
though he hardly realized that it was
there or as though he purposely wanted
to give that impression.
"You'd love me better if I were more
successful, you can't help it. y
There was a bitterness about what
Scott said that proved conclusively that
+ he was not speaking in anger. He was
simply speaking of things that had ex-
listed between them for long time,
without being put into words. 1t stune
Ruth into a remembrance OF what she
had heard her aunt and uncle say ABOUT
SCOTS lack of business sense.
/ "Jf only You wouldn't be such a
dreamer. scott" Ruth burst out. You
mad that chance to go in with Bill Car,
Tor thot fine. You remember l begged
you to do that.
,.T,d nover accent anything from any
man: besides. don't want TO Dc con :,
ncctcd with Bill Carter. never cared
for him.
You never do care for people Ike
if they have any money you re sure 10
take a DISLIKE to them immediately
r. YOUR pursuit of the unconventional Is
going to keep us commonplace all our
lives, | certainly cant look forward 10
much happiness. It's all right to have
70 economize for time after one is
married. but not all ones life.
There was silence weighted heavy
with meaning
THAT'S why said you weren't sat
isfcd. Don't you suppose / know
Loving a woman. don't you suppose n
man wants to give her everything and
worries if he can't? Don't YOU suppose
I want to make more money!
Ruth wanted to conciliate now; she
wanted to spread a surface veil of
gossamcr thinness over her thoughts, a
veil that would be torn aside at the
first difference of opinion. So many
women do this, in order to avoid fric-
ton. They like to temporize; men
want to settle things definitely. Ruth
liked to daily with things; Scott would
have been happier, or rather more con
tented. having come to decision. to
abide by it. No matter what it pre-
Scnted of unhappincsS ahead, at least
it would be definite.
Ruth, like all women. was afraid to
/ face life squarcly: she wasn't satisfied.
and vet she wanted to do nothing about
it but complain.
(TOmorrOw, Bert drifts on a pleasant