The Press., 1922-07-20
Her Musical Career 2 
  By LAURA MONTGOMERY
 

Cc, ls22, by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
 Ruth's mother had often remarked that her daughter had shade more chin than was required of girl. Ruth was firm, very firm, and when she once had an idea intrenched under her sleek black hair it was difficult mat ter to dislOdge 1t.
 For two years Wallace had called upon Ruth three times a week. We'd nesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and the engagement was an implied affair although not yet announced. There fore, when Ruth happened to be down town with her brother on Monday night and saw Wallace carrying the travelling bag of a remarkably pretty girl, a stranger in the village, she felt that she was justly angered. Ruth was the village pianist, and had long wished to go to the city to do con cert work, but had hated to leave Full ton on account ofNWalIace.
 The following Saturday night Wal lace presented himself with the GUS tomary half-pOund box of caramels, to learn that Ruth had gone to Chicago to begin a musical career. Mrs. Black finally gave him the address of Ruth'S boarding house, but told him frankly that she thought 1t useless for him to go to see her. Ruth is queer and stub bOrn," she said, thOughtfully. Il don't know why she's angry with you, but she is."
 Wallace, who knew of Ruth's- ten dency to jealousy, was pretty sure Ihat Ruth had heard of the strangers visit to his home, but there was no use talking about the affair. Della had been a guest of his mothers and he had been obliged to be courteous to her. That she had taken an odd fancy to him and had persisted in hanging onto his arm when in the village streets had embarrassed him, but he had not liked to shake her off and nothing less crude would have suf- feed.
 So, after a Sleepless night, Wallace went to the city, but when he called at the boarding house and asked for Miss Black, Ruth, who had seen him
  down the message that she was en- gagged She had no sooner done this cruel thing than she regretted it, and she fattened her long nose against the window pane, watching him stalk down the street.
 Don't you find it thrilling to be in this beautiful city, where one is near A1,a ssA thing?" asked a tiuffy-halred girl who was visiting her aunt at the boarding house.
 "No," said Ruth shortly. Il don't, The city is quite different than l imagined. When played at home in Fulton, the paper would write up a nice account of it, and l supposed I'd be able to get into concert work with out bit of trouble"
 "Concert work 7" breathed the other, looking at the rather sad dark face under the gleaming black hair. "HOw perfectly thrilling-and-ever
 But" went on Ruth bleakly, "I found that the very best 1 could do with my music was" She hesitated ::
 
 her hOmesickness. If she had only had some wonderful triumph to men tiOn, she would have gone back glad ly to the cheerful village where the faces were familiar aRd-here lay the gist of the matter-friendly.
 "Yes," prOdded the other, you got your chance to show your genius"
 Not exactly. l hunted around and obtained interviews and presented let ters of introduction and pulled every string, and"-a mirthIess little laugh escaped her as she thought of the hours of practice she had put in study ing the old masters of real music-"I was finally lucky enough to get place in a department store to play the popular music at the music counter"
 "Oh," said little Daphne blankly, "don't you hate 1t when you love Mozart and all?"
 "Yes. l do, hut it pays my board"
 Daphne twisted a pearl ring about on her engagement finger. You know, I'm from Forest Center, tiny little town. and l am reader. I'm invited to give readings all up and down the line at the other towns, and I thought that perhaps I'd spend the winter with amtie and get engage ments here. Roscoe. though"
 ''Take it from me-" burst out Ruth, ewing the little pearl ring lOngingly, 'stay at home and get married. P'- to her own amazement, she found her eyes wet with tpars-"wish l had"
 Wallace went away in white rage. It was an unheard-Of thing for friend to send down word that she was en- gagged.
 The words of an Otd-fashiOned song that Ruth sang when she felt espe- cially friendly rang through his mind as he trudged through the rain: ''1 suppose she never sings that any more" he reflected.
 He had 9 list of commissions from