The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1860-05-25

verted eyes, he continued
"Why, you are as silent as a sphinx By
your leave, will present YOU as rara quis at
the next convention OF s.Naturalists'-a woman
that has lost the use of her tongue -
'':Such favor would scarcely compensate for
the loss OF your w.t." she replied, Indignantly
81 am dumb with surprise ~
''At what %
''That you are so unlike man."
''Vhat then am / like !''
oA monster ~
"Brave, Ruth You have been studying
| "Guillaume Tell - And, since you are as de-
liant as the Swiss iberator, must be as hangh-
| ty as the tyrant Gessler. But won't plead for
a privilege, that have a right TO demand. SO
cousin nine, here's to a better humor when we
meet week hence." And with polite bow,
he was about to withdraw.
Ruth made step forward, and said, in a
! spirited way
"Hoface Wilmer, are my wishes really OF so
! little Importance 10 you, that you can pass them
| by SO lightly Two weeks before our mar
riage, and you are already playing the tyrant.
| Once more, Horace, will you forego this en-
| gagement for my sake, and sustain me by your
presence this evening ?'
GA little too austere, my rustic maiden YOU
must emulate the tenderness OF your scuptural
namesake il you would gam your plea But
| Hamilton is waiting, let US part friends you
are too eXacting, dear Ruth. | am sure have
| given you reasons enough to satisfy any gener-
Gus person. So say good-by, and will return
as quickly rs | can"
HSInce my wishes are OF SO little consequence
my favor must bp as lightly esteemed You
/ need not write you are under the oan of nv
dlspleasure, sir Good morning, Mr.. Will
mer ~
And with stately step she passed into ano-
ther room, leaving Horace haIf-amused and half
panied, TO bid me 4 hasty adieu, and fnd MS
| friend who was waiting for him in carriage
| below
Ruth came forward as he sound of rafting
wheels struck her ear. Peering through the
blinds she saw the carriage pass over the little
bridge and lose itself among the trees Then
with sigh, she sat down TO finish the velvet
| slippers she was embroidering for Horace, with
a resolution, no doubt, to Danish him from her
mind. Entering the room half hour later. I
found her leaning IDLY upon the embrasure of the
| window, with the miniature OF Horace lyIng
before her, which she was regarding very at
| tentivey.
/ dGS idd SOHe u Hei2'lDOFl0I Town 10
attend TO some court business whlrh REQUIRED
! his personal supervision, and which he could
not possibly neglect or entrust to 'other hands.
But Ruth had set her heart upon having him al
| 'Ciovermead" that evening, TO a company given
| TO bride, for whom she had offciated as brides
! maid.
The position was embarrassing, ard she par
| tlcuIarly wished Horace to be present, to spare
her the annoyance OF the too pointed attentions
OF the groomSman--a matter which she had
not altogether explained to Horace, and which
consequently be did not quite understand She
felt pIqued at his seeming indifference, for they
had loved each other from childhood, and for
the first time IN their lives had parted coldly-
he, veXed that he should insist on controlling
him, and she half disposed to question his
love.
Three nights after Horace left there was a ter
rife storm. The tall poplars shading the ave-
nue. were tossed like reeds in the strong wind.
| ard occasionally in the lull of the tempest we
heard the roar of the swollen stream, as it over
flowed its banks, and tore up by the roots the
knotted beeches that had cast their shadows up
on IFS bosom for half century. Ruth, startled
from her light sumber, clung to me IN an ago.
ny OF fear, as the deep voiced thunder reverbe-
rated along the lowering heavens, and the vivid
lightning shed binding glare through the sui
len gloom. Again and again she called Hor-
ace by name, and CALCULATED prayers for his
safety.
ooh, cousin Annie" she would say, 'sshould
anything happen TO Horace, can never forgive
| myself"
Trembling and dismaved myself, agitated bv
strange forebodlngs, sought to soothe her
So the night passed, and the morning came.
| The soft haze foated like veil of gossamer
over the yellow naples, till their bright leaves
deepened to crimson glow. Through masses
of snow white clouds were riffs of smiling blue
no trace of the fearful storm, except the roar
of the tur6d stream and the masses OF floating
| timber along by the swift current.
There was sunshine, too, in the tGustng heart
of cousin Ruth for the good doctor, her father,
had brought from the post office, formal note
from Horace, stating that, in consideration OF her
disQeasure, if she would grant him upon his
return, the boon she had denied him at parting,
he would brave the adverse fates extant, and
be with her that evening
All day the name of Horace was upon her
tongue. Busily she piled her needle, waving
in the bright blue ''forget-me- nots" upon the
purple ground of the velvet ippers-peace-of-
ferings for Horace upon his return.
SIT was so wrong of me, Annie" she would
say, "to behave SO lmperiously to Horace, He
has SO often told me that my unwavering con-
fidence in him endrared me to him more than
all the rest. Oh, The Iaggard moments! how
slowly the pass-I am SO impatient to acknowl-
edge my fault, and convince him that | appre-
cIate bis noble worth. Let us go down 10 the
old ash tree, Annie, and perhaps we may hear
the sound of ''Harry's" hoofs as he crosses the
little bridge'