Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-19
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T,IIE first time Natalie met Ruth
l. after her soiourn in Atlantic City
Ruth could not help noticing great
difference in Natalie. There was moth
ing she could exactly put her finger on.
but there was n vague something, ncV
crtheless, that made Ruth uncomtort-
able. 1t rather unsettled her ideas re-
garding Natalie altogether.
Then one evening she ana Scott met
Natalie and Jack at an evening affair.
Ruth was in the dressing room when
Natalie came in. all fluff and pale
blue tulle. Ruth was arranging her
own hair with n high comb that Scott
had given her for her birthday. She
was in black and looked full blown be
side Natalie. Ruth always gave that
appearance of ripe sweetness. >Shc
made many other women seem either
overripe or green and gauchc. Natalie
beside her looked like frail flower.
! Natalie. however. maintained an
even tempo of expression. She was
not f1urried; nor was she quick and
staccato and filled with her gay little
doings as she once had been. There
was curious repression about her
that was more enhanced as the evening
went on.
Jack came over to Ruth almost i'm
mediatcly and asked her to dance. And
they danced together several times after
that. About the middle of the evening
Ruth saw Natalie whirl by with a
good looking man. She was dancing
with Jack at the time, and she asked
curiously:
"Who's thc man with Natalic:'
Jack crancd his neck to see. and
surprised expression came over his face.
"Oh, that's Arthur Enright. You've
heard of the family. Barrels of money
and so forth. Natalie met him at At
lantic City"
They whirled around the floor a few
more times and then stopped. They
were directly next to Natalie and her
partner as they did. In another sec
ond Natalie was introducing Arthur
Enright to Ruth and the two men were
shaking hands.
Natalie was flushed and eager and
she was sparkling with clever things to
say. In spite of herself Ruth found
that she could not in any way attract
the attention of Arthur Enright; he
seemed intent on everything Natalie
said As for Jack. when he finally
turned away with Ruth he seemed puz
zlcd and uncertain, although he said
nothing.
Ruth was thinking: What on earth
could have happened to change Natalie
that way? She seems so different. so
fascinating she has lost that childish
ness that made her seem pettish at
ntimes.
She spoke of it to Scott when they
danced after a time
Il suppose you want Natalie to sit
around in corner neglected and
alone" he scOffed, "crying into her
handkerchief like wailsower."
scott You silly; you know better
than that"
1T amounts to that in the long run.
Natalie has captured the most eligible
man here and seems capable of holding
him; that's what's the matter with her
I don't notice that she has changed
otherwise"
You just want to take Natalie 5
part"
"Why don't you leave Natalie
alone, Ruth You seem terribly in
terested in everything she does of late i"
Ruth flushed and almost pulled away
from Scott, His bantering tone made
her feel foolish.
Ruth wanted to appear one way and
Scott somehow made her feel exactly
opposite. She wanted to be the happy
loved wife, who cannot help her fas 4.
cination. She wanted Jack to Worship