A month later, Cora went off to college. Elizabeth Dawson died a year later. The Dawson family moved back to Chippewa Falls after Cora went to college. Rose got her old job back at Tuffy's, acting. In 1925, Mary Bukater died of old age.
March 3, 1929
"Hello?" Rose answered the phone.
"Rose, it's Ruth. Tuffy isn't breathing!"
"Call the doctor. I'll be right there."
They hung up the phones.
"Jack!" Rose called.
"What, sweetie?" he asked, coming out of the bedroom.
"Tuffy isn't breathing! We need to go over there."
"All right. The kids are at a birthday party, right?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
They got to Ruth's as soon as possible.
The doctor got there about five minutes before they did.
Ruth, Rose, and Jack were all waiting outside the room.
About thirty minutes later, the doctor came out.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Langseth. There was nothing I could do. His heart cancer was too severe," he said.
Jack took Ruth into his arms.
She cried hysterically.
"It'll be all right. Ruth, just be thankful that you made those years with him count, okay?" Jack said.
"Thanks, Jack," she said, calming down.
Even though she'd still mourn her husband's death, she knew that they'd made it count.