The Washington times., 1938-02-08

Ruth was pleasantly eXcited-s
newcomer to the town OF west
bane, she knew Mrs. Seth Adams
was TT. Mrs. Adams cleared hel
throat and got down to business
1.-THE Country Club sent you ar
invitation to their Sunday after
noon dances
"I mailed my acceptance yester
day"
"It came. That's what I'm tele
phoning about. The invitation
was a mistake-it was meant FOL
another Miss Brown, who lives or
this side of town. You see, you're
the wrong Miss Brown. GOOD
morning" :,
That was slap in the face all
right. Crimson with modification
Ruth sat down to think things
over. If she lived to be hundred
she'd never forget Mrs. Seth
Adams or her voice either.
For all of her twenty-one years
Ruth had lived in a small country
town where she knew everybody
and everybody knew her. In this
congenial atmosphere Ruth kept
house for her father, widower.
ACROSS THE TRACKS
Then suddenly business took
him to New York where a casual
acuuaintance suggested the sub
urb of Westbane in which to live
Accordingly Mr.. Brown came On
ahead of his daughter, fell into
the hands of a high powered real
estate dealer and signed on the
dotted line for an attractive house
Ruth liked the house too. prln'
cipally because it had considerable
ground around it, to say nothing
of a small brook.
1t seemed that Westbane, about
which they really knew nothing,
was divided by the railroad into
two distinct sections and the
Browns nice, comfortable house,
with it's grounds and its brook,
was located on what was known
as the wrong side of the tracks.
Ruth found this out the day she
went to an office to engage a
maid, who upon learning the ad'
dress rose hastily.
. I'm sorry" she said, "but I
have never worked in that neigh
borhood."
After a few discreet inquiries
Ruth realized that as far as loca-
ton was concerned, they had been
stImg by the high powered real
estate dealer. On top Of this came
the telephone call from Mrs. Seth
Adams, so when her father fin
ished dinner that night Ruth got
him all fixed snugly in front Of
the living room fire and then
poured out her heart.
1T am now known as the wrong
Miss Brown" she concluded.
''We've got to move"
Nonsense" replied Mr.. Brown,
'this house suits both of us. I've
signed a nonbreakable two years
lease and can't afford to renege." ."
We've lived here nearly three
months" said Ruth almost in
tears. land not one soul has called
on me-"
They'll call all right when they
know how nice you are"
Ruth decided to take steps her
self, so putting on her most be
coming hat, she went down to the
real estate office, and asked for
Mr.. Finlay. who turned out to be
9 small, sharp individual not above
pulling a fast one.
Your father didn't tell me
about you," he observed Suavely.
''otherwise, never would have
suggested your present er un.
fortunate neighborhood. But, I'll
have a talk with your landlord
I'll let you know what happens" "
With this Ruth was forced to
be content. In the meantime,
shed get busy with her garden
which, under the circumstances,
could only be a temporary one
: She had a hunch Finlay would
wangle different house for them
now that he knew it mattered.
GARDEN FLOURISHES
In back of the now despised
abode was a small unused piazza
Ruth had this glassed in and here
she started seeds and little plants
in pots and boxes, tending them
with watchful care.
BY midsummer her garden was
successful beyond her widest
dreams. It seemed as if the
flowers, appreciating her efforts
were doing more than their best In
return.
Cars commenced to stop in pass
ing, for the garden was quite
visible from the road. and Ruth
grew accustomed to obs and abs
Of admiration sent her way. But
more than that, one week two diff
ferent magazines sent Photograph
ers to take pictures and the first
thing Ruth knew both she and hel
flowers appeared in print.
Late one lovely afternoon Ruth
noticed a man on horseback riding
slowly down the road. When HI
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