The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1937-04-08
Copyright. Kathleen Norris.
wNU Service.

Tony went upstairs; stretched
both hands to the squarely built
man who rose from the shadows
Of the library.
"Joe, how nicel Merry Christ
mas! But take off that coat. How'd
you know I was here?"
II telephoned the Office. Say, sit
down a minute. just had ca
ble," Joe said abruptly. His fair
moon face was very serious.
Her color changed; her eyes were
riveted on his face.
"What is it," she asked quickly.
"Mrs. Patterson" tx
mo. Ruth"
'Ruthr' whispered Tony. The
quiet room, softly lighted In the
winter evening, and the browsing
fire, and the dec0rous backs Of the
handsome books seemed to reel, to
settle again In their places.
Joe frowned. spoke slowly, as If
he felt a little embarrassed by her
emotion, little sorry for her.
"She was hurt in the street She
never regained consciousness"
RUTH" Tony whispered again,
with dry mouth. For long min
ute she looked at Joe. "Dead?"
she asked.
Eyes, she died this morning
Sunday morning, 1t said, at eleven
O'clock"
"They were motoring?"
at didn't say. Larry was In
Paris. 1t said Larry arrives from
Paris tonight And 1t said my
grandmother's condition was un-
changed; they've not told her. She
had stroke, weeks back!"
Tony's knotted fingers were
against her mouth. Her eyes were
far away; her forehead wrinkled.
ruth deadi 1t doesn't make
sense!" she said. half aloud, as If
talking to herself.
'No. does it?'
''It Just doesn't seem-true. Ruth
dead"
christmas Eve"
II thought of that. l can't seem
to-get It."
Hell come home now"
Tony was not listening.
"She always loved him, dearly.
Poor RUTH"
eyes. she always did. Well"
Joe said, In an effort to be gener-
GUS. LARRY was always fine to
her, too. I think this thing, I
mean last year was the first thing
that ever really upset her. She
didn't know what to do; she
!. thought the best way was to pre-
tend that 1t didn't matter. I don't
know; I think she acted according
to her lights"
81 think she did. Poor Ruth
But I can't get over I'll" Tony took
the folded cable and read and re-
read 1t frowningly.
"'Ruth struck by car in street
yesterday" she read. ".Died eleven
this morning without regaining
consciousness. Larry arrives from
Paris tonight. Gran as usual: we
have not told her."
It was signed Caroline" Tony
folded it; opened it and read It
again.
ibid this come to Carmel?"
"About five. I motored right In.
] didn't want you to see 1t In the
paper tomorrow"
Tony looked away, and Joe looked
at her. The gracious lines of the
long young body were set off by the
green velvet gown; the deep lace
collar and cuffs, the flushed cheeks
and rumpled dark hair and serious
blue eyes made her look like beau
tiful child.
ut makes me-feel badly" she
said, speaking as If her throat were
sore.
II suppose 80. Tony"
"You're awfully kind about It,
Joe," the girl said suddenly. She
laid her hand on his, but her eyes
were absent and her thoughts far
away. Ruth !" she said In a strange
whisper. Dead! Oh, Joe, I'm
sorry!"
After q while he was gone, and
in a dream she was mingling with
the Christmas party again: present
ly It was time to 60 home, sticky,
tired, flushed, still laughing and
talking. Brenda had carried her
baby of early; she had made her
staying at the Palace hotel tonight
with Alvin's queer old father q lit
tie important. "Alvin, we mustn't
disappoint your father" she had
said more than once.
The others went together; Cliff
and Mary Rose were staying with
her family tonight, but Cliff took
TONY and Bruce and Aunt Meg and
ian old uncle home; every one
Iagreed that there never had been q
nicer Christmas party. Their "Mer-
~ Christmas!" rang over and over
again in the cold night.
II have to go down to the office
about one," Tony said. "I'll fill my