Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-05-27

OhdCd Wv ~" - ost tAtAhR Nhoh fOet1 S.'~
her; she fed from her prosecutors to the home
of her youth, and leading her little Rachel by the
hand, threw herself into the arms Of her kin; they
received her with distant kindness, and assured her
that she should not want: in this they kept their
promise, but IT was all they did for Ruth and her
daughter; a miserable subsistence was given them,
and that was embittered by distrust, and the know
ledge that it was yielded unwillingly.
Among the villagers, although she was no longer
Stunned as formerly, her story was not forgotten;
il it had been, her terrific beauty, the awful flashing
Of her eyes, her large black curls hanging like thun-
der clouds over her stern and stately brow and mar
bic throat, her majestic stature, and solemn move
ments, would have recalled it to their recollections.
She was a marked being, and all believed (though
each would have pitied her had they not been
afraid that her evil destiny was not 10 be averted,
she looked like one iated to some wonderful deed.
They saw she was no. ofthem, and though they did
not directly avoid her, yet they never threw them
selves in her way, and thus the hapless Ruth had
ample leisure to contemplate and grieve over her
fate. One night as she sat alone in her wretched no.
vel, and with many bitter nominations, wa watch
ing the happy sleep OF her child, who siumbered
TRANQUILITY on their only bed: midnight had long
passed, yet Ruth was not disposed TO rest; he trim
med her dull light, and said mentally, "Were | not
poor, such a temptation might not assail me, riches
would procure me Difference; but poverty, or the
wrongs it brings, may drive me to thi. evil: were |
above want, it would be less likely to be. O,my
child, for thy sake would | avoid this doom more
than for mine own, for if it should bring death to
me, what will it not hurl on thee?-inisny, agony.
scorn."
She wept aloud as she spoke; and scarcely seom-
ed to notice the singularity Cat that late hour Of
one one, without, attempting TO open the door; she
heard, but the circumstance made little impress
sion; she knew that as yet her doom was unlulfliled,
and that, therefore, no danger could reach her; she
was no coward at any time, bat now despair had
made her brave; the door opened and a stranger en-
tered, without either alarming or disturbing her,
and II was not till he had stood face to lace with
Ruth, and discovered his features to be those of
Rhys Meredith, that she sprun. up from her seat
and gazed wildly upon him.
Meredith gave her no time to question; "Ruth
Tudor said he, "behold the cruelist of thy foes
comes sueing to thy pity and mercy;I have emoit-
tered thy existence. and doomed thee to a terrible
lot; what first was dictated by vengeance aud ma
lice, became truth ms | uttered it, for what | spoke |
belle Ell. Yet, take comfort, some or my predic-
tions haye'ailed, and why may not tins che be false:
in my o"n fate have ever been deceived, perhaps
! may be equally 50 in thine; in the mean unc have
pity Oh hln who wa. thy enemy, but who. when
his Vengeance was uttered, instantly became thy
frienu. vas poor, and thy scorn might have rob
bed me oi subsistence in danger, and thy contempt
might have given me up. Beggared by many dis
asst Gus events, hunted NY creditor, | fed from my
vile ana On because | could no long, bear to con-
template their sufer.rF; ! sought .or'une all ways
since We parted, and always has she eiidod my
grasp ull .ast night, when she rather tenplcd than
smiled upon me-. At an id'e tar met the steward
Of this estate drunk and stdlid, but loaded with
gold; he travelled toward home alone; | could not,
did not wrostle with the fend that possessed me,
bit fastened to oyer'ske HIM in his lonely ride
Start not! no hair oihis head was harmed by me; Of
his gold | robbed INN, bu' not % his life. though,
had been the greater villain. / sh0uid now be IN
les danger, snce he saw and rIarkcd nv person -
three hundred pounds is the lneeG Of my daring.
end ! mat keep II now or die. Ruth, thou too
arr poor and torsaken, but thou art faithful and kind.
and wilt not betray me 10 justice save me, anI !
W ]! not enj"- my riches alone thou kno vest all
the cay s in the rocks, those hideOus ..ilng places,
wnere 30 foot, save thine, has dared to tread con-
ceai ne in these, tli the pursuit be past, and | will
give thee one hNlfo my wealth, and return with
the other TO gladden. my wife and son.
The hand OF Ruth was already opened, and in i'm
aginatlon she grdsped the wealth he promised op.
preston and poverty had somewhat cloudcd he no.
blen"ss, but not the ferceness Of her spirit. She
saw that riches would save her frum wrath
perhaps from blood, and, as the means 10 es-
cope - mighty an evil, she was not scrupul0us re-
spectIl,g "a lesser: rndc prnden'ly OF lhs, she falt a
great interest in the safety of Rhys; her own tate
SN'soN w fAef6 Nf'' ''Ff SA- iia WI "a "a III Liz
caves and supplied HIM with light anu TODD.
There was a haI p'ness now in the heart Of Ruth
"A 10y N her thoughts as she safe all ihe day long
upon the dressed settle of her wretched fte-side,
10 which .ley hal for years been st~rar.ers. Many
time' diving the last wears OF her sorrow she had
thought Of i.hys, and i,nged e look ,pon his fee
aud st beneath his shadow, d. one whose p-esenoe
could preserve her from the IL fate which he
himsa.T had predicted. She hal long since forg;.en
him ms prophecy; she believed he Ind spoken
truth. md tbs ave her u wild confdcac- il. bis
power; a 60 IiItdce hat sometimes thought, "ifhe
can for"know, car he not also %a"eri:" $40 said
mentally, without any reference to the ~te!.,ora
goot he had Pr missed her, Il have Il treasure n.
those caves; Is : there; he wlo hath forseen and
may oppose N destiny; he hath shaio wed my days
with sorrow, anu forbidden me like ordinary beings
to hope: yet ne is now in my power; hi life is in my
hands; he says so, yet | believe him not, for cannot
be,ray him if | would; were | to lead he officers of
justice to the place whore he lies crouch.ng, he
would he invisible to their sight or TO nine; OF !
should become speechless ere | could say behold
him No., he cannot die by me-"
AID he thought she would deserve hscO-iJeacc
and support Inn in LIS suffering; she hsd concea ed
him in d dee? dark cave, hewn far in the rcck TO
which she alone knew NE entrance from the bea,n:
there was a other (i.a huge aperture in the tot of
rock might 10 socsllcd) which, far from attempting
TO descend, The peasant and seekers for the culprit
had scarcely dared 10 look into. so perpendicular,
dark, and uncertain vas he bideous descent into
what lily n, pea-ed to them a botto Mess abyss;
the pa eel over hs head in their search through
the fields above, and before he mouth of his deu
upon ,he beach fellow, yet they left him in safety,
thouuh in iDcprtitul, auJ faor