The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-21
A VOICE FROM THE A
From the Home Journal.

10 peOplcu III many -DuSy memories
for, beyond the precincts of this silent littl
room, is the sounl of rushing waters, dashin
on impetuously,G filing all the air with hoarst
ftful murmurs. Above the tumult rises on
voiee, Speaking to my soul in the eloquenc
of woe. Thus it spoke to nae once before il
the yearsithatsarcIpast. Eg9 TEF
Mytcousih Ruth and I shared the little room
together. From its deep window we watched
sthe Ewlndings of the beautiful stream ripping
sinf the sunlight, OF leaving the dropping bran
fchesT of the spreading beeehes- that. mirroreG
their graceful forms in its cool shadows.
Another, too, knew W IL its windings; and
frem that window we had watched him mool
his little boat and spring upon the messy beach
with aJbeyish hallool as he canght the futter
EFF Ruth's waving handkerchief-her frce and
eousinlyI signal of welcome.
My noble brother Horace! What wonder
THAT Ruth's loving heart bounded at the sight
of him, SO manly and so brave! His presence
made sunshine for the rainiest day that ever
beFeil; and even old Growler, octogenarian as
The was, according to the reckoning of the Ca
rhine calader, gambeled in quite a juvenile way
at the sound of the familiar voice; and the
sleek little grey hound, Flora thrust her cold
-nosea forward, in a privileged way, to offer a
asalute after the nest approved pug fashion.
The summer, with its wealth of roses was on
the wane. But as the roses of the garden
were shedding their glowing leaves in the
.chii of the autumn winds, those on the cheeks
of my beautiful cousin were growing deeper
day by day.
Asi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS she was as she stood
in that east window, in the bright glory of the
{. morning sunshinel So Horace thought, as
he stood looking down upon her SO loudly
Her soft brownshair was drawn smoothly back
from her broad white brow, and her small,
. Beautiful head encircled with ivy leaves.
sssWhen she raised her deep, ~lustrous eyes to his
.fann sha c0mnaroH her f0 'Danfa'a Rnafrtoa- -
But Ruth was sportive as n fawn, and that be-
Beeehing look, failing in it's object, the white
lids dropped over the tender eyes, and the red
dip pouted ominously.s p y-rS --- .Hi
Horace heldhis gloves and riding whip in.
one hand, while he extended the other to Ruth
for a parting clasp. 9 ae1i'a .5trtz-
The little shoe, with its shining buckle, tap
ped impatiently against the white oaken floor,
Swhile the rosy fingers busted themselves with
an embroidered slipper. Perverse girl that
she was not to be daunted by the half depre-
scatory glance of those expressive eyes, but she
kept silence sbas2-
s.Csme Ruth, cousin minei have pity, and
do not dismiss me without one cousinly s%alutel
leH6wi can Z bear up under a wsoIe weeks exile
from my little wife that is to be, without even
..tEessolace of ona kiss at parting?" 'j.7t
Painfully bending down. to look into her
saverted eyes, he continued:
10 aWhy, you are as silent IS the sphinx. BY
your leave, I will present you as a rara avs
at the next convention of "Naturalists'-a
|. woman that has lost the use of her tongue"
- s"Sueh a favor would scarce compensate for
ethe loss wit" she replied Indignantly
'-sG am dumb surprise J"
. : s6At What" . |,
,sss HThst you are SO unlike a man."
GWhat then am l like?"
iSEHB m ~,nsterl" ais-.E
~ tIr .ve,, Rdh, You have been studying
@kC--.I- -. TIL % ~ IL - J.
FAINT as t he Swiss liberator, l mu st be as
naughty as the tyrant Gessler. But l won't
plead fer a ri,ilege that 1 have right to de-
mand. So, cousin mine here's to a better hui
l1aor when we meet a week hence" And, with
"a polite bow, he was about to withdraw. /
Ruth made a step forward, and SAID, in a E
sspirifed way: a
= sHorace Wilmer, are my wishes really Of $
$50 little importance to you that you can pass G
them by so lightly? Two weeks before our I
marriage, and you are already playing the ty- y
rant? Once MORE, Horace, will you forego +
this engagement for my sake, and sustain me II
7by your presence this EVENING"" u
s"Aslittle too ~austere, my rustic maiden; you p
must emulate the tenderness of your scriptur- 1
al namesake, if you would gain your plea" a
2 x"But Hamilton IS waiting, let us part friends;
you are too e~xacting, dear Ruth. I am sure 1 t
have given you reasons enough to satisfy any Il
generous person. So sag goodbye, and l will |,
return as quickly as I can" l.
"Siuce MY wishes are of SO little conse- a
quence, aay favor must be as lightly esteemed. a
You need not write; you are under the ban of Il
my displeasure, sir1 Good morning, Mr.. vii n
'merl" = 'a .1- b
adjoining reeu, leaving Horace, halfamused o
and half panied, to bid me a hasty adieu; and a
find his friend who was waiting for him in a "
carriage below. o
Ruth came forward as the sound of rafting j'
wheels struck her ear. Peering through the u
blinds she saw the carriage pass over the little P
Bird ge and lose itself among the trees. Then a
with a sigh she sat down to finish the velvet
slippers she was embroidering for Horace, a
with a resolution, no doubt, to Danish him
from her mind. Entering the room a half o
hour later, / found her leaning idly upon the O
the embrasure of the window, with the minia- Il
ture of Horace lying before her, which she v
was regarding very attentively. u
u Horace had gone to a neighboring town to o
attend to some COURT business, which required e
his personal supervision, and which he could u
not possibly neglect or entrust to other hands. u
But R1th had set her heart upon having him
at Cloyermead that evening, to a company G
given to a bride, for whom she had oficiated a
as bridesmaid. g G
The position was embarrassing, ard she par 8
ticularly whished Horace to be present, to spare n
her the annoyance of the too pointed attention q
of the groomsman-a matter which she had l
not altogether explained to Horace, and which I
consequently he did not quite understand C.
She felt piqued at his seeming Indifference, s
fof they had loved each other from childhood, $
and for the first time in their lives had parted i
coidiy-he vexed hat she should insist on
controlling him, and she half disposed to ques- b
.tion his love. 10 r
Three nights after Horace left there was a
terrific storm The tall poplars shading the y
avenue were tossed like sreeds in the strong o
wind, and occasionally in the lull oG che tenn f
pest we heard the roar of TIE swollen stream, C
= 4 oua-aa-AI "a HANKS and fora nm hu the n