Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-22
THE NEW IDEA.
Chapter IL.

when the apparent limit of feeling has
been reached Ruth had reached this state
And so, though she sat on the porch with
tears in her eyes that were hot and that
hurt. still, the PAIN WAS no greater than
what she had been carrying about with
her for some months.
She had come, she felt, to the place
where Tim could not hurt her any more
Except for the fact that the house was
physically lmore comfortable, that there
was more to eat and nicer food-except
for these little things-her life was SC
unhappy that little bit more or less didn t
matter
She folded the letter into tiny bundle
and went out to the kitchen With a
casual sir she raised the stove lid and
dropped the paper into the fire, watching
/ flare up then die into ashy flakes be-
fore she replaced the lid.
1T was from Tim, wasn't it, Mrs.
ONcil asked.
Yes. but he had nothing to say--oh,
except that he has now job and q raise
Il $40. and that he 5 sending a friend here
Tor a room.
Nothing, | think that's a lot. $50 a
week" Mrs O'Niel paused for a moment.
a long spoon in her hand. She was doing
berries for winter use cooking while she
cooked dinner. so as to save time and coal
rs well. In such little economies and plan
nlngs Mrs O'Niel felt herself supremely
efficient and she was.
II wonder if they'll get married now?
she went on. contemplating the longspoon,
dripping with the sweet, sticky preserve.
II hope so They can afford to now.
Ruth said this calmly, taking off her
hat and smoothing back her dark hair
with her hand II think III have n bath
before dinner. mother. if there's hot water
enough feel as though | had lint stick
ing 10 me all over, after a day at the
factory
Il don't doubt Well, there's plenty of
water That was as near as Mrs. O'Nlel
could get TO an expression OF sympathy,
even with her own daughter. But, 50
the girl should have plenty of time, she
delayed the meal and she went upstalrs
TO put out Ruths freshest dress, thinking
thc change might make her feel better.
But that night Ruth decided to cut the
grass, so she came down III her oldest
clothes
And when her mother protested that
She had tune TO keep the place neat the
glrl only answered that it kept her from
getting round -shouldcred. since her work
Ruth, meantime, had picked up ac-
QlIamtanccshIp with one Of the young
S'cnographcrs III the lactorv's office, and
had msdc aa arrangement with her 10
AXE three lessons IN shorthand each
week. for 81 week But it went slowly.
Ruth had, she found little love for the
queer figures she was taught, though the
science " them. the careful planning 50
that each stroke might take as little time
Is possible began IN time 10 fasclnate
her
The truth WAS Ruth was TOO tired
IN tho evenings 70 he able 10 do much work.
And the summer days dragged along.
Its shame. her mother would often
say. there arc only seven evenings IN
a week. and three of them you work over
those pot-hooks And the rest Of the time
YOU don't 90 out much. and il \ man does
come and call vou give him no encourage
ment TO como again
Il can't talk 20 most Of them" Ruth
protested in sudden anger Mother. We
,lou speak the same language. Id rather
read good hook tofather than sit on the
porch with some silly idiot All any Of
them want 10 do Is to hold hands And they
haven { an idea in their heads, any OF
them
Rut her father. who overheard this,
called to her and Ruth, quoting down
Al once, went out On the porch, where
ne sat IN his wheel-chair
Il don't blame YOU for the way you
fecl about these BOYS and girls Of the
town, he said gently But after ALL
Ruth, Won cant bury yourself with only
Your mother and myself for companion
ship Being . hermit Is al right for some
PEOPLE but YOU are not the hermit type
You r. young well. Since Tor the
present there's nothing better in sight, /
make the best OF what Won have
But what have l?'' Ruth asked. 'To
be sure, there are people who live on large
Estates near Narketown, who arc pretty. +
wide-awake But they have
nothing 70 do with this sleepy place They /
20 70 the city FOR their ideas, their clothes.
their amusements. They've clubs-but T.
only for themselves. They wouldn't look
At me, unless | had q lot of money"
We'll, but think 1t over Do what
you can. I'm sure there are boys and girls
enough here TO make up club Of some
sort, for wholesome pleasure"
Ruth answered nothing, She tried to
ancy some of the young men on Main
street riding horseback or swinging q golf
club.
But the words stuck in her mind, to
bear fruit later.
Id like to do something to the factory
md OF the town. she said finally. There
: work there that ought to be done. Those
urls father, the way they live the way
hey talk, the terrible ideas they get
when they're only IA and 15r'
Well, why not try something there"
This started Ruth to thinking. and
or q moment she forgot everything else
5 little by little the Real Idea grew.
Tomorrow Stranger.