Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-18

paper Syndicate. New York city.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER.
Chapter LXNiV.
So. with a great deal of work, the
Spring days came and went. Langley
had talked a great deal about Ruth gong
to New York or going any place where she
could rest and have change.
And Ruth always agreed and always
promised, but she was so busy she never
found time to go.
And the whole summer went by.
Ruth went out very little that sum-
mer. The people on the big estates near
Narl,ctown. who had overtureS OF friend
shin. were away most OF the time, Mt
mountains or ut the shore. The Markctown
paper, grown larger now the town was
growing. recorded their ''doings rs
though they were quI te important
Langley at NEE ting of the Civic
Committee (Which by now practical
" controlled the town-suggeste cer-
tain things that should be attended to and
could only be handled in New York.
There was discussion about getting
New York agent, until finally Langley
suggested sending Ruth.
Who knows rs much about TINS
town as any of US. and could carry out
our commissions perfectly well, another
npmDpT OIL the nptIu hGittaA~
SOFT was that the girl suddenly found
herself actually sent oil for changc-lf
not vacation with all her expenses paid
And she could not refuse to go then
nor find any excuse.
She tried TO get t@r work IN shape
50 as to leave two weeks after the notice
that she was To be sent.
Meantime, things had not been go
ing well at home.
Ruth began to realize slowly tina t
the sympathy In the house had existed
solely between her father and herself I.
There was perfect understanding there.
Between her mother and herself there was
something which neither could compre-
end and which neither would acknowl-
edge-it WAS something as intangible
As dream, hut as solid and as much
barrier as a brick wall
After the fu.eral, Mrs. ONiel me-
thodically gathered up the clothes and
the various useful possessions Of her
husbands, and gave them 10 the most
worthy" man In town.
Then she, as methodicallv, cleaned
out his room, sorted his books, burr ed up
some personal belongings and labelled
trash" and prepared 70 rent out that
room as we'll rs al the other rooms avail
able in the house.
No use keeping his things, she re-
marked as they sat at supper one night
His books YOU II want to read again some
time, so 1 haven't touched them. lhe rest
Il the stuff I've cleaned out:
Ruth said nothing. But the manner
N which her mother spoke went through
her like a knife. She knew her mother was
ught-they would rover touch nor use
yauous little trihes that had belonged 10
l.. l2,,. unr,,nhnvr fha mere tact
that he had had them and loved them
made them sacred in her eyes-even
The pipe he smoked, which low smened
If much stale tobacco. She did not want
to keep the various little things-lt WASH
that. II was the cold, methodlca way N
which her mother did it that hurt Rutt
'tOf course, we'll have TO take some
money and buy mourning Mrs. y Mel
saAd the day before the funeral service.
I'm not" Ruth answered.
Her mother looked shocked
Not wear black when your own father
h<dw
Father hated black, and hated TO
see me in IL. He often asked me no
70 wrAr mourning. Do you think 1t would
make HIM feel better, or me- tor Us al y
20 about In black
'But what will people say7
YOU tflfnk care NAt-tt tbSF
Ruth was reused TO sudden resentment.
The ones care about will know how much
sorrow | feel without my advertising 1t
by wearing a color father hated.
Still"
Mn. O'Niel could not get over the
conventional ideas. She went 10 the
shops and bought the proper mourn
in9'--buvlng frugaly so as not 70 spend
an unnecessary cent, Vet with q little
satlaf action that her clothes were con ect
for the occasion, and that they were quite
new - well. Ruth, having no money she
fel. she could spare, wore her old things.
That was only the beginning OF
real rift in the feeling between Ruth
and her mother Mrs. O'Niel had never
had much sympathy for Ruth S "booklsh
tastes. She quite plainly felt that her
husbands studiousness was the reason
for bis failure in life, and to her, Ruth was
travelling the same road. Then when Ruth
began earning money, the idea had TO
go-but she turned instead TO nagglng
because Ruth wouldn't make up
little 70 the boys. You'll be an old maid
If YOU ne not careful.
"Who cares? / dom Ruth would
answer, and every time little more re-
sentiment would creep into her voice.
Its q pity Langley Williams comes
around 80 much. He scares' of all the
other men, and he's pretty slow making
I'D his mind whether he wants 10 marry
YOU or
The girl suddenly faced her mother,
her face white except for the two red
spots that came 70 her cheeks
Langley has no idea OF marrying
me. nor | of marrying him" she said as
calmly as she could. Most OF the evenings'I
he's here we are working over plans.
prefer it 70 wasting time talking nonsense |
10 some"
Her mother put on a martyr expression
and turning, walked out of the room.
Tomorrow Sudden Change.