Hannah'S Girls - Ruthie (Born 1931)

Ruthie’s family had moved from Chicago to Milwaukee five years before. Now they live upstairs in a white two-story house that sits atop a low hill on the corner of Hopkins Street and Auer Avenue. Mother’s sister, Aunt Bessie, and her doctor husband, Uncle Charlie, live downstairs. Ruthie loves the pretty yard with its flower beds and the great old maple tree. The possibilities for summer fun seem endless! Ruthie looks forward to all the adventures she’ll have with her best friend, Mary Ann. A trip to Aunt Annie’s farm and a visit from her spunky cousin promise excitement too. But as school starts again a shadow hangs over all their lives. There is war in faraway Europe, in the actual countries where relatives of Ruthie’s classmates are living. Even Ruthie’s dad is worried about his family in Italy. Even so, school life keeps Ruthie busy. There’s recess and games; orchestra practice; a new friend, Esther--and a wonderful surprise in the basement! This is Ruthie’s story—the fourth in a