Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-04

, selves alone, and did it .shrewdly too
! Were they not bright, cheerful, and di
they not hold up their heads high Will
! they were about it They made the mo.
of what they had, and in that way the
were generous, bestowing agreeable ser
Stations by means Of their n~eatness an
good taste.
Mrs. Bowen turned her gifts and none
to so good an account that it was dificu
to remember their origin always her prid
assimilated What #as originally foreign s
thoroughly, that no soul would ever hat
dared to remind either Ruth or herself o
the fact, or play the part of AIndial
Oliver" with them, They made as fine al
appearance in Reptoh as any Reptonian
Not a fashion came there that Ruth diC
not adopt; not a new book was heard o
that she did n contrive to get, eithe
from the circulating library in the shir,
town or by borrowing from the few VIII
read in Repton. Every magazine or papei
which contained any account of the out
side world, takeii In the town, she devour
ed with a zest which was accounted for by
her acquaintance who thought it a desirt
for Information. 1t is not easy to account
for a taste in noYel-readihg when the on,
who has it is somewhat selfish anC
passionless, as Ruth certainly was
and still les easy TO discover
what the effect of novel-reading is on sucl
a character. 1t did not appear that she
had imbibed therefrom any romantic ideas
OF solitude or society she was invited
every where, and accepted all her invita-
tons. She was a marked feature in every
party, being pleasing in style and intelli-
gent. Sitting her influence to the bottom
1t was nothing; but she would have been
missed from Repton, and never forgotten.
People expected her presence, some one
SAID, on the same principle that ounce
preserves o~btained-they were ALWAYS
made, never liked, but eaten. Mrs. Bowen
had a halt-sister, who lived in a distant
city and was married to a merchant of
some means. She sometimes sent pres
ents to Mrs. Brown and Ruth-smal arti-
cles of taste and luxury, which Mrs. Bowen
received with a sneer or a sarcasm, and
Ruth with curiosity and qualification.
The last gift had been a puir of painted
China vases, which Ruth intended 10 fill
with lilies; but Ezra's chimneys had filled
her mind instead.
Ezra Clarks farm was not in Repton
proper, but three miles from its centre,
1t was. not a model farm. Its buildings
were without paint or white-wash tumb-
ling stone walls and fences of crooked
rails divided its ground into corn-felds,
potato patches. and pasture. On the north
of it was a big swamp, in the west pine
woods, and 20 the east ran the road which
led to Repton. There was nothing pic
turesque about the premises. There were
no prize cattle, or breed horses, or fancy
poultry, and no pigeons. Ezra owned
some good common cows, ayoke of oxen,
a horse, and quite a number of hogs. He
raised hay, corn, rye, and potatoes. Mrs.
Clark made butter and sold it; also apple
butter and dried apples. The old orchard,
whose fangs defed natures dentistry, also
sheltered a beehive, and was the pleasure
ground Of a few hens, whose eggs and
broods were sold also, together with the
honey frem-the- hive. Ezra sold hay in
the spring and tffefest of his crops in the
fall, pork in the winter, and sometimes
beef. The farm cleared between three
four hundred dollars a year, which
nearly all saved 1t had paid nothing
the time of Ezra's father; but when he
lied Ezra took it and brought it into a
condition. 1t had been his for five
years; consequently he was now worth
about two thousand dollars. Sometimes
ne thought of taking this fund to speculate
IN some other part of the world; like
lther Yankees he could go any where and
be any thing, should he choose. He might
establish a trading post in Japan, or ever
something in the East Indies that would
Keep the natives cool and make his for
'une. But he never came nearer to leav-
ng home than this vague dream brought
i'm. There were a hundred reasons why
he should stay. His mother could not
i've without him. Who but himself could
1Yist and screw a profit from the mean
Icres they owned? Who would keep an
we upon the old age of proud Mrs. Bowen
+ he failed to? Lastly, who wouldn't cut
lin out with Ruth if he forsook his for
orn hope?
Mrs. Clark would have lived had he
eft her, for she loved life and the world.
The was somewhat eccentic-the avid
W Nabby," pious by rule, and skeptical
nature, artful; kind-hearted, bright and
and withal a remarkably hand
Ome woman. Her features were as reg-
lar as Greeks. She had full black
yes, and a mop OF black curly hair; her /
aet and hands were beautiful, her form
and yet she was born on the op-
osite. side of the swamp, where she lived |.
ii she married Ezra's father, and moved
n the side where she now was. She was
. awful dowdy, however, being perfectly
Indifferent to her personal appearance.
Ter shoes were always down at the heel
he preferred wearing them so-there was
0 trouble about tying them. She hated
rings, buttons, and hooks and ewes, and
ms scratched her; her cap was two
off her head, generally, which she
I'D was owing TO the obstinate curl of
er hair-it would rise up wave-like. Her
owns were made Of a material that never
washing, and never came to
lending, but fell all away at once. Her
was arranged correspondingly, and
way of doing house-work was slip-shod
f~course. What.was the use of making
bed every morning when it was tum-
led every night-she reasoned with old
ally Lane, her ancient ihelp," who made
"Do have 'efn, Ezry, whether or no
Dung feet have not trod over these floors
# many a day. l wish they would
ance." @ r
"Win you dance, mother?" I
"0h, Ezral / belong, and can't; but III
1t a horse to a herring that Sally Lane
ould like to cut a caper."
He consulted with Sally; she advised
der and cookies, and, as most of their
lairs refused to bear any body's weight,
some new ones. He went to
epton the next day and bought twelve
~aple-backed and rush-seated chairs, and
lei. carried his idea to Joel Barnes.
"If you will come up to my shanty with
10 sam party and spend the evening"
: said, "ln drive you home in my hay
.rt."
@AI right answered Joel, "say when.n
"Next week some time."
Thursday" d
" That's fair. Don't expect anything;
a good rind about mother and me,
ou know"
my country friend" said Joel, 'husk is
hat we jaded voluptuaries need"
"Be darned." ,
When Sally saw the chairs she was SO
that she exclaimed: "Aint he a
aNo,S answered Mrs. Clark: Il would
I'VE burned the house down, and moved
q lot" {
Ezra exchanged a look with her. !
'fYon are right mother but 1 won't ,
either, and you know why" 4,
4'The mountain a coming to Moham-
ed.n ;
Mrs. Clark spoke kindly to every one on !