The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1858-02-04

would lo0EaI any Of the young men here
for a husband, especially after she came
back from the city. But la! you can't
convince her now that if her husband
hadn't died he wouldn't have done just
as he said.'
He never would, Ruth Bower contin-
ued the neighbor, her dark eyes flashing
with hatessfor between you and l, Mary
Harris, in my opinion, is no better than
she should be, and her husband found ii
out, and if he was an honest man, went
away to get rid of her. and then-and
then, and the speaker looked around to
make sure that they were alone,-'he
might not have died suicidei the truth
as it is does not reach us from the absent.
And then he might not have died but had
that story reported to get rid of her. |
tell you what it is, Ruth, this is strange
world, and it is not every one in it that
is honest, or cares whether his best friend
is happy, if he can have his own way.
Aunt Ruth sat like one bewildered, her
sunburnt face changing its color alter
nately from a darker hue to one ashy
pale, but she was too proud to speak her
thoughts, so in a few minutes her cheek
returned to its natural color, and she look
ed into her neighbor's face, saying, We'll,
whether Mary Harris is good or bad,
rich or poor, l don't want her child al
our house.
Then why do you have it there?
am very sure my husband would not keep
a child in our house that did not want
here
'Mr. Green is different from Nathan;-
my husband is very fond of children, and
at first when Anna used to come to our
house, thought she was an affectionate
child, and l was pleased to have her a,
muse him, but now
'Adectlonate,' replied Mrs. Green, sar-
casticaly, she is an artful little thing,
taught to do so by her motkar. You will
find it to be SO yet
The tall eight day clock in the corner
at this moment struck ten; Aunt Ruth
left her neighbor's home and returned to
her own te ind Uncle Nathan half reclin.
ing in hiSlaFge asy chair, soundly sleep
ing, with Anna on his knee, her head pill
lowed on his bosom, and dreaming sweet.
| lv of the stories 10 which she had listen
ed
Mrs. Bower caught the child roughly
by the arm to drag her from her COM
Portable position, while angry words fell
from her lips. The farmer clasped hi:
charge, who, frightened, clung to his
neck and timidly cried for her mother
Uncle Nathan quieted her with caresses,
and then turning to his wife he said-and
there was an expression in his usually
mild eye that kept his wife silent:
Ruth, Mary Harris has three little or
phan children to feed, and no one to as
sist her to a shilling, told her yester
day that would lake Anna and keep hel
till size could find better home, and ]
shall keep my word. If she is kindly
treated here she will stay beneath thi;
roof--if she is not kindly treated, money
shall purchase her good home else
where
Better keep your money to pay youI
debts, was the wiie's sarcastic reply
but she had learned in the twenty years
she had been the wife of Uncle Nathan
that he always kept his word let the con
sequences be what they might so from
this time the fair child found good home
at the farmhouse, although no endear
ments we're lavished on her by Aunt
Ruth.
| On the evening that. our tale cemmcn
ces, after Mrs Brown had left her neigh
boris house, and Mrs. Green made sur
she was alone, save her husband VIII,
mad sat In silence and in darkness in an
J = xoomka n ----~-