The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-05-09
ALONE
synopsis Of Preceding Chapters

ALONE
Synopsis Of Preceding Chapters
Ruth O'Niel and Myra Weed have
been chums from girlhood. Myra has
money. Ruth finds when she gradu-
ates from school tha'S she must help
earn the family living The girls plan
to SO to New York. Ruth to study in
a business school in order to make a
good salary later; Myra to study any
thing she fancies. But the money to
send Ruth must be used to take her
sick father South.
Myra goes: Ruth. deprived Of this
chance to earn a good income, stays
home. Tim Turner, who had always
been in love with her, asks her to
marry him. She refuses for time,
as they have no money. He goes to
the city to earn a living for her.
There he falls in love with Myra, q
natural result of his loneliness in a
strange town and Myra's prettiness.
Ruth is rbroken-deprived OF a
chance to earn. now Of her chance to
love and be happy. Langley Williams,
from the city, takes up his home in
her town, and she meets him.
But just as she begins to like him,
his work calls him away. Meantime,
Tim and Myra have married.
Chapter 81.
Langley Williams went away with
cordial friendly hand shake. And
Ruth went on with her work and her
reading. conscious that her mother
was bitterly disappointed. But the
only thing that was said was
Il did think he might be a little in
love" This was by her mother
Not bit-neither he nor l. And,
after all, Mother, I have so much work
want to 90 that being in love would
only interfere"
And her mother said nothing more.
Every week or SO short letter would
come from Langley, telling the work
he was doing. and offering ideas as to
things Ruth might do.
And SO that long winter passed. 1t
is necessary to give only 4 short &C
count OF it, though great deal really
happened. Ruth grew nervously tired
Of the office where 80 little happened.
so she began making a personal in.
vestigation Of all the houses her en-
ploycd handled, and she made list of
necessary improvements.
This took her into the factory dis
With the factory workers families not
as social worker" but only as The
person to whom they paid rent. And
thus she came into great deal OF
knowledge. especially among the poor
er ones or the shiftless ones, where
rent paving was a hardship and where
the money was not always available.
The general conditions she found
shocked and depressed her. Every
house complied with the state rules
as to light and sanitation. it was the
lack Of beauty rather than the lack OF
cleanliness that depressed her.
Her ideas about a children's play
ground we're turned down by the
mayor of the little town. Upon this
Ruth became stubborn. She formed a
Civic Committee in her own club, went
the rounds OF the towns wealthiest
men. and got them to join it.
BY which simple method" one OF
the club members explained, "she got
the very best people Of the town into
he club. It's an important organiza'
lion now
So though the city officials had ig.
nored her plans, when it came to a
vote. the Civic Committee used en-
ough influence to put the question OF
Fairgrounds on the ballot, and they
we're voted for
That was her second triumph-the
first being the tentative plan for
safe playground for factory children
In the end Of the winter. the Club
grown now to the place where those
who we're not members were all anxi
Gus to join-purchased an old farm a
mile from the town, and made them
selves a country club, too. Ruth, who
had been president of the first group
was now made secretary and handled
the really large amount Of work con
rected with forming the permanent
club. doing up the club house, anc
working for new reforms.
i've had my whole life taken from
me-" she told her father one night a.
she sat by his bed-for he was in bee
most Of the time now. so the only
thing to do is to make new life"
One day she called a meeting of the
Civic Committee.
. There's no reason why We cam
buy up the Main Street Playground
and make it permanent affair she
said. And in the evenings in summer
have band concerts there. We've q
band in town that plays for GU,
dances; we can hire it, or We can get
up in amateur orchestra from the
town people who can play"
And this. too, was voted on-but not
until there had been weeks Of della!
and disbursement. For all big
things come slowly.
One day she tramped far out over
the fields beyond the town. over the