Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-05-10
EFrom Our Young FoIks.l
RubY's Visitor.
4 story for Catlare,,.

1 peeiaIIy IF one were such an atom as Ruby
7 Il was very lonely house, too, for it stOoy
OW of the pine forest was darkest, and tn
! great white stretch of snow that sloped dowI
through il lay still and untrOdden,-still, e1l
/ cept when the icic1es clattered sharply dOwI
/ from the trees on it. Ruby could hear then
often, as she sat alonej she could hear thu
! wind too, sObbimg around the house as il it
heart were broken, and then Walling OF owe
miles Of mountain solitude. Sometimes shl
could hear the ch1rp OF a frightened bird II
its nest, OF the mOurnfuI cry of the whip
pOOrwiu over in the swamp Once she
heard the grOwl of a distant bear that hac
I3utshe never thought of such thing a.
being afraid Her father found and shot the
bear, the next day, and it was the only one
that had Deen seen on the mountain lol
years. As for the iCicles, and the wind, and
the WhippOOrWill, she had heard them evel
since she could remember and did not dis
tuEb her in the least On the contrary she
thought they. were very pleasant company
when her father was gone, and she used tc
sit at the window for hours together, lis
tenfng to them.
But she had her playmates indoors as
well as out. OF these, her faVorite was the
fire. Now I do not believe there are many
people who. can build such fire as Ruby
dry brush WOOD ana such branches OF dead
0aE-Ieaves, which made the prettiest quiv-
eEing shavi1gs. and she had such fragrant
pine cones for her kindling-WOOd
When the hearth was all blazing and
cracking with a fire about as tall as she
was she used to sit down before 1t, and
stretch out her hands with the fingers close
together, so that she could see the beautiful
brilliant blood in themS or take OF her
shoes and stockings, and put her pretty pink
feet almost into the ashes to warm them
or sit with her eyes very wide open, and
made herself think that she saw some great
city in flames, towers falling, steeples totter-
ing, churches Crushing, and hundreds Of
streets turned to living fire.
or she would watch the lights and shad-
tie room. Where they hecked the ceiling.
rare
ed and changed to some new pattern every
moment where they quivered over the
bare plaster of the walls, they hung them
with tapestry dropping ana rich with quaint
devices. and glittering with embroidery OF
Cne olQ. Well-Worn 1urnltures-Jne nuge
pine bedstead, and Ruby's little couch in
the corner behind the chintz curtain, the
rocking chair and the cricket and the rough
taBie,--alI grew into the richest Of foreign
woods, with covering of crimson and orange
velvet, and the curtain waved itself into
damask folds with jeWelled fringes. As fOr
the unpainted floor, that became the pave
meqt Of a palace inlaid with ebony and
gold.
At least, so Ruby used to think. and night
after night, when her father had gone to the
village to sell his wood, or the rabbits and
would fancy, all the evening long, that she
was not Ruby at all. but some beautiful.
Now how she came 10 be called Ruby I
really do not know; but after thinking of
the m after two whole nights and day, /
probably because her cheeks were as red as
the reddcst gem, and as soft as the sweetest
presume they were made so on purpose 10
be bits OfCrimsOn lights for her hair and
eyes, which were as black as a summers
night when the stars are hidden.
On this evening of which i started to tell
nTe,-EEioF III was 2 very cold eVeHlhg,-looIA-
ed a few minutes at the towers crashing
down through the city.--Watehed for the
frescos, and the tapestries, and the gold and
ebony pavementsl to Kicker and glow into
their iDlaees,-put upon her forehead her
mothers chain OF gold beads that was kept
50 carefully in the drawer, and that served
for a pEiucess's crowns then she suddenly
remembered another, Of her playfeiloWs
went to the window to look for'ft. Perhaps
you viii think it must have been stupid
eomPa9i9n, but assure you that Ruby iti dld
not md it so. II was only the moonlight
which had fallen silently in, and lay quite
pale upon the floor.
+ The moon itself, looking very large and
very lonely, was very bright above the tops
of the pines, against the blue of a far, faint
sky Every branch of every tree was tipped
and edged with silver; ali the foliage of the
evergreens. and the dead leaves that had
hung all winter ShiYering on their stems.
HaShed in the light IKE crystal Lne looU-
paths stretched through the W0OdSs afened
overhead and glitterlng, winding away and
away like interminable fairy corridors, and
the snow, like a mirror, caught all me pear
IY lights with which the air was filled, and
threw them hack. Ruby thought that they
were little rainbow kisses tossed up at the
she sat down on the floor right in a food
of light, with her hands folded, and her eyes
looking up through the Tree-Jops, IKE a olJ
Of silver statute. And slgJlng So sne Degan
to fhink-as Ruby loved to think when she
was alOne-abOut the rivers of molten pearl
and the diamond mountain, and the silver
grass on siIvered fields, and the trees with
raiub bows for blossoms and the Jewels for
fruit, and the little ladies dressed in spun
dew-dTOps. and o, so many things that
might be in. the moon! If one could only
and out for certain rs-, !, - .,l s.g
Ine!'' said Ruby at fast, scFanbing to her
feet in a hurry. For something or sOme-
body was walking through the air. down up
on the brOadcaSts of the mOOnbeams. Al
most before she could draw a breath, 1t
stood close upon the outside Of the window,
something very large and very dark. but
whether it was man or an an1Inals Ruby
could not decide.
40, you can't, you know" she began,
moving away a little, 'you can't possibly
get through the window.-if you'll wait till
father comes, may be III let you in at the
But. to her unutterabIe surprise, the strange
visitor at this came through the window
without the slightest difficulty, or without
making 50 much as a crack In the glass, ana
landed on the floor beside her.
EOh E-if yOu please won't why, I never
did :" said Ruby, winking very hard, and
looking around for a place to hide. But the
stranger did not look in the least as If he
had any thoughts of wringtng her neck, or
swallowing her whole, or doing her any
haTn1 whatever. He was only an Old man,
"A very odd old man, though. He was not
-ceedingly white hands, and wore white sat
in slippers. His trousers were bright corn
color, and he had long pink stockings that
white brOadcIOth, with sleeves a yard yYides
and silver fringe and buttons, His. vest
was of faint, gray velvetf-Whether it was
faded or not, Ruby could not make OUT
and on his head was a three-cOrnered cap
f5 5 S ,9 w WIN 1 l5S f mn ss f5i @
about him was his face. It was as round as
a dinner plate, and perfectly white His
oTEH 3e
and his mouth was round, and there was
nOta particle of color anywhere in them.
his long flowing beard, were like drifting
snow. l-a a
He stood looking very sOlemnly at Ruby,
and. after he had looked a minute without
speaking. he made her so low a bow, that
the tasseI on the tip of his tissue hat touch
ed the ground.
tWhy-why, who are you? ?" stamm cred
Ruby, with her eyes very vide open.
s'Cfuess, +" said he setting his cap straight.
''WeIl, maybe began Ruby, trying very
hard not to be frightened'-'n maybe you're
the brook. I guess saw you peelxin' out Of
"No, you didn't" said stranger guess
cor perhaps you're some sort of a-7sort oil
a king, you know" said Ruby, hesftating
and feeling of the gold beads on her fore
head; "and you've got a palace,--a real live
"t4uess again, - said the old gentleman.
ftI shouldn't WOpder''-Ruby began to look
again for a place to hide-''if you might be
IA ghOstI2-
The visitor burst into alaugh that echoed
through tb e hut. AY0u'Te good Yankee
You haven't come any nearer than you are
to the moon" ~
'tT7m sorry Pm so stupid" !" said Ruby
humhly. "Won't you tell me2"
so certainly, with the greatest pleasure
-certainIy, certainly, I'm the Man in it."
tHI'he Man in what?''
'fThe Man in the MOOn|
so myi" said Ruby
ayes. I am" continued he, growing sud
| denly very sober t'I have been ever sinCS
s'Yod DONE say soI'' Ruby drew Ione
breath! Af
lido asserted the Man in the Noon
| with an air of gentle melancholy.
/ The crimson lights on Rubv's cheeks fair
/ ly paIed and glOwed with curiosity. t'IfyoU
/ vouln t mind telling me, should like sC
/ much to know, sir what-what on eartE
/ you came down for ?"
/ T "Your fire.p ..e.
/ my fire ~
| The old gentleman nodded. Ruby begar
I to be afraid that he was going TO make
/ bOpfre of the house, or burn her at th'
/ stake.
/ ssfold ~ said her visitor in an expIanatoT1
! tone, shivering till every separate hair 0
/ his huge beard seemed to stand on end.
/ .fWhat don't you have any fire up there
/ sir "a asked Ruby.
] "Sab on a snow chair all last evening, ans
/ slept under one blanket Of ice, and trOs
m-T "a HHH HHM M#gn