The Shasta courier., 1868-11-07
SHASTA COURIER.
THE GOLDEN WEDDING

ell +!
: The first tone was sharp, eager, significant
and masculine.
The response was mild, languid, indiffer
ent, and feminine.
Whose wagon tracks are these 2n
A farmer past middle age, sunbrowned and
muscular, pointed to fresh tracks that de
scribed circle on the moist earth, and
stretched away in long, parallel lines.
The feminine face, pretty and girlish, grew
crimson as the answer was hesitatingly given
Mr.. Olcott's carriage was here this after
noon."
Its only fair to suppose the carriage had
a horse before it and driver in ii, remark
ed the farmer, drily. "Who drove?n
" Mr.. Olcott," answered the young girl
with deepening bushes.
"What does the old covey want to come
here SO often for ?" inquired the farmer, test
lily.
g jacob" cried shrill female voice from
the window, s. have you taken the wheat tc
the mill ~
mo; but Ruth is taking her eggs to q
very poor Market answered the farmer
shortly.
"Don't tease the child" said the woman,
rebukingly. And you'd better hurry up,
or MIR. Jones will be gone from the mill be-
fore you get the grist there"
Ruth" exclaimed the man, stepping to
the girls side and speaking in low tone, - il
zee jerome Anderson coming here, | shall
put him on another track. lie is too good a
fellow to be trifed with. and Olcott isn't a
circumstance
Jacob. are you ever going to set off with
that grist? ~ was the shr.ll interruption to the
mans remark.
I" Yes. I'm going in two jerks was the
prompt reply. His voice sunk to whisper :
!" Ruth, don't make work for repentance, +"
he said, impressively. Its dreadful
thing"
g Ruth" called the shrill-voiced woman,
+" come into the house. You'll catch your
death-cold sitting out there in the dew; and
last night you was traipsing over the wet
grass as if you wasn't subject to the quinsy
and rheumatic in your shoulder 1t must be
a thousand times nicer to ride in Il handsome
carriage like Mr.. Olcott's.''
:" Yes, ma'am."
Ruth said it humblv but the affirmation
would have provoked a score of queries bad
she been testifying on the witness-stand, for
there was that in it that suggested mental
reservation.
Mrs. Beebe, the practical, sharp sighted.
clear-headed woman, as she was called, noted
the manner with displeasure. OF course, T"
she said: . it stands to reason that it's bet
ter to ride than to walk, aud it's better to
wear silk gowns than calico, and you d be
standing in your own light to give Jerome
Anderson any encouragement when man
like Mr.. Olcott worships the very ground you
walk on"
Ruth made no reply. The question was
debatable, judging from the indecision in her
face.
She sat down at the window, and looked
out until her mother called her.
g Whatever upon earth ais the child p
Why, Ruth, you're sitting in the draught,
and there'll be a sore throat or something
worse to pay ~
Ruth arose with smothered sigh and look
ed at the clock Half-past eight ~ she
said to herself Father has put Jerome
Anderson on another track. lie won't come
tonight"
She took work basket from the closet and
drew up to the table, where her mother sew
ed by the light of talow candle Ruth
snuffed the candle, and took from her work
basket some muslin and a bit of lace.
Her mother watched her closely " Is
that all the lace you bought?" she asked, in
a tone that was full of calculation.
g Yes, ma'am tis real,' explained Ruth
g But it didn't take all the money ~ ask
ed Mrs. Beebe, in the same calculating tone.
" Yes, ma'am. 1t takes great deal of
money to buy very little real lace. Aunt
Catharine used to say person was better
dressed with very little real lace than a
great many yards of imitation" answered
Ruth, in justification of her purchase.
=" Humph - calculated Mrs Beebe some
what Gisdainfully. 9 Your Aunt Gatharine
has some very high notions. She amt bit
like your father. She can afford to buy real
lace if she wants it. If I'd been in your
place, I'd rather had more lace for the same
money. You've got some very extravagant
notions for poor girl, Ruth Ann
Wien Mrs. Beebe meant to be very i'm
pressise, she addressed her daughter as Ruth
Ann.
Ruth blushed guiltily. She was conscious
OF her falling in that direction. She remem-
oereu now that very morning she had stood
~ 'ne counter OF the little village store, try
rug W recognize those verv condemmned no
uons with her limited ability. II had not
oeen an easy task. The notions were so ex.
.ravagant and the ability so yery small
Then the ability was so uncomnron;s;,a
Inc sn,ilIngs could not by any possibility ex-
pan Pand themselves to meet her tastes, and there
had been no alternative but for the tastes ~
succumb entirely 10 the shillings.
A very tllfiing thing this balancing of lace
ana ni,ny iucre IN young girls mind. saw
you Perhaps SO, to men who never lool =,
lace with reference to their own toilettes and q,
to women who have lost their love If drass
WIN tneir youth but to a young girl who
knows that the frill around her tbroat ba.
much to do with the tint of her complexion.
and that web of delicate threads softens III
beauty of plump. round. arms, this question
of lace is an all-absorbing one.
Ruth Beebe had other thoughts. stand;n,
at the little counter, comparing the lace sbs
wanted with the lace she did not want. trv
ing to reconcile quantity, and quality ant
price. From tangled thoughts Of lace it wa,
step to tangled thoughts Of life. for Ruth ),
life was somewhat tangled now 1t had beer
very smooth life until Mrs. Beebe's ambi