Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-02
THE DINNER.

So they met, alter the wears ana che
parting and the emotions each had gone
through, in n small kitchen OF a cheap up
town apartment, while kuth's old-timo
chum was putting Tins baby to bed !.
Ruth had one hand on the tablc-a hand
white and we'll cared for these last few
months, and manicured that very day by
the mucN devoted Marie
And all around were queer. unrnmantio
objects "a line over the stove where small
washcd-out garments We're drying,
clothes horse in n corner with babies
clothes folded and hanging on il, and on
the table milk bottles half cmptlcd. cups
and spoons. soicd dishes, a bowl of salad,
a long wooden spoon steaming from ITS
bath in roast beet juice celery and bottl e
Of olives. q dish towel and other odds and
ends that GO with hurried dinner get
ting
Then Ruth slowly held ont her hand,
anl Tim took i II was a queer way to
meet she thought
You're looking like q millionaire,
he exclaimed
You're looking well too she replied
Md She looked AZ HIM again Hcr first
tlurht was that Tim needed shave and
her second that Langley never locked as
though he did Then she felt ashamed 81
TINS for Tim WAS Just n from work.
lie had the same broad. bovlsh gfin that
fr,+ made her adore hlm. and he was
lnok37e M her IN frank admiration. as
he used TO
Nvla came back Tim turned and
kI--ol her tins. too was something
Ruth iaI been drrading But # wnen
thc lingering Kiss ~ the young lover
and i wasn't the hahlt-tralncd kiss 81
man long married Il wns the sweet
aTcc,tiouatc caIeSs that was ~ char
arferisfic of Tim own sweet and at
fn-tinnatc nature
Nice thing - como home and find
our special guest n tHe kitchen, he sand
tcaSuglv
NIyra smiled rlacidly
aOh guess We know Ruth well enough
to lct he. come back here, she answered
fv.ng on the apron Tim, you wash the
potatoes
Rut l ought 10 shave I'm pretty dirty
Will vnu hold dtnncr2
Nyra smiled agaIn, and Tim disappear
81
Ruth sat down while her chnm went
or nutting thc finishing touches % the
meal ii Was odd fa Soc Myra work-sh
wondered Grst II al that she would do H.,
and thon that she could Nyra were a
drrSs whose chcan ready made appearance
gave +scf away as something from AN
.ietaun bargain house Where now Was
lite rosy lipocd little grl who curlcd NJ
.r fic-e fa ~ parties ard Wore such stun
e3fc gowns
NT-a was getting fat no Nvra was
fat far all The fact that she was only
- She was the type, Ruth thought
rhat vas II She would settle down II
her home. mind her hahv look after
hcr husband. and TAKE on flesh She
remembered their reflection as they
stood Iv thc mirror while Myra tried
IS, 4Icr bat her own slnincss and youth
against tho stout settled lines Of her
hostess figure
When they sat down at the dinner
tahe the most self-possessed Of the
three was the always placid MyTa She
SIT in one side. Ruth on the other, and
tm between them
Then Ruth began To see why II was
that Nvra managed her house 81 easily
The saup was canned, opened and heat
ed. the roast WAS the only difficult part
~ the meal. The vegetables were canned
the salad and all the other danties came
from the delicatessen shops. and even the
dessert had been bought ready-made
"Ill Just leave the dishes 20 until
tomorrow Myra said easily, after the
meal was over
Now. thought Ruth, we can settle
down and have cozy old time talk
They went into the living room again,
and Ruth settled herself in a corner OF
the great upholstered couch-far too
large for the little room Tim went to d
shelf and brought out pipe, filled and
lit Il, ard Mvra settled herself with some
sewing for the baby
They talked indeed, about all the
people in Marketown Myra knew most
Of the gossip for her mother had written
it but She wanted more details
who's engaged and who's married.
she asked Mother says the Brayton I
have i baby What's it hke2'
u don't know, | never see them.
The talk went on in jerks and stops
Ruth knew less Of the local gossip than
Myra yet you live there, said that
lady
dWen. but | meet only the people in
our club, and SINCE Fathers death I've
hardly ever gone out there
Ny, what stupid time you must
hayel'
'.Not bit. There's the new town
we're building I'm working on that
all dav long. / meet lots Of new people
there she ran over some names
"They live IN that imitation castle
FIVE miles from town, they re great swells =
Tim commented once
Ruth slightly resented tins name ap-
piled to q man Of great influence who
was working with her on the new town
Tomorrow Dislllusionment