The Project Gutenberg EBook of Other Things Being Equal, by Emma Wolf

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Title: Other Things Being Equal

Author: Emma Wolf

Posting Date: October 28, 2008 [EBook #1839]
Release Date: August, 1999

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL ***

Produced by Barbara Cantalupo

OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL

By Emma Wolf

Chapter I

A humming-bird dipped through the air and lit upon the palm-tree just
below the open window; the long drowsy call of a crowing cock came from
afar off; the sun spun down in the subdued splendor of a hazy veil. It
was a dustless, hence an anomalous, summer's afternoon in San Francisco.

Ruth Levice sat near the window, lazily rocking, her long lithe arms
clasped about her knees, her face a dream of the day. The seasons single
out their favorite moods: a violet of spring-time woos one, a dusky June
rose another; to-day the soft, languorous air had, unconsciously to her,
charmed the girl's waking dream.

So removed was she in spirit from her surroundings that she heard with
an obvious start a knock at the door. The knock was immediately followed
by a smiling, plump young woman, sparkling of eye, rosy of cheek, and
glistening with jewels and silk.

"Here you are, Ruth," she exclaimed, kissing her heartily; whereupon
she sank into a chair, and threw back her bonnet-strings with an air of
relief. "I came up here at once when the maid said your mother was out.
Where is she?"

"Out calling. You look heated, Jennie; let me fan you."

"Thanks. How refreshing! Sandal-wood, is it not? Where is your father?"

"He is writing in the library. Do you wish to see him?"

"Oh, no, no! I must see you alone. I am so glad Aunt Esther is out. Why
aren't you with her, Ruth? You should not let your mother go off alone."

The young girl laughed in merry surprise.

"Why, Jennie, you forgot that Mamma has been used all her life to going
out without me; it is only within the last few months that I have been
her companion."

"I know," replied her visitor, leaning back with a grim expression of
disapproval, "and I think it the queerest arrangement I ever heard
of.