The Shasta courier., 1868-11-07

would buy the real stuff. She don't approve
OF limitations. There's a pretty girl for a
poor mans wife / tell you, Jacob. men
don't understand these things.n
Jacob Beebe sighed. 'sLace is not the
worst want in the world" he said in an un-
der-tone. "And l hope Ruth will remem
Der that the love of a married woman ought
to be the real stuff. and no imitation. Wives
can get along better without lace than love.
Are you going to your cousins wedding ?''
he asked, turning to Ruth.
. Yes, Sir" answered Ruth. "Mother
thinks had better, and am trimming my
Dress"
And you want more lace ?'' asked the
farmer gravely, as the colored servant call.
ed Mrs. Beebe into the kitchen.
. It's little scant, but don't mind much y
answered Ruth, looking up with feeble
smile.
81 wish could afford" began the farm
er. Ruth stopped him. 81 don't mind a
bit, she said and her smile was brave now
as she put her arms around her fathers neck
Don't think of it again. | don't care"
Farmer Beebe smoothed his child's hair
tenderly. You're good girl Ruth" he
said, with trembling voice. 'Don't let
them spoil you"
Mrs. Beebe came in, and Ruth took her
candle and went up stairs.
Jacob" " said Mrs. Beebe, sharply, when
they were alone. you're enough to try the
patience of a saint, as I've told YOU BEFORE.
Here am trying to do all | can for Ruth
Ann, and you just upset all l do by your un.
reasonable talk against Mr.. Olcott. 1t isn't
doing justice by your child nor me- If Ruth
Ann ever makes ybody she won't have her
father to thank"
Jacob snuffed the candle and picked up'the
Bible. The act was strangely like his daugh-
ter's an hour before. Experience had tau ght
them both to avoid unequal warfare with this
woman.
Mrs. Beebe, frowning, went into the kitch
en- to look after affairs for the night She
knew better than to hope to draw him out of
the silence wherein he had intrenched him
self.
And Jacob read his Bible, his eyes fixed
on one verse on the open page. When his
wife was gone he read aloud . Visiting the
iniquities: of the father upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation He
stopped there with groan. % Yes" hecom-
mented g | suffer for my fathers wrong.
and my child suffers for mine. God help us j;
Ruth Beebe stood in crowded city parlors
watching the throng around her. There was
much to please Ruth's fancy The simmer
of the silks, the glitter of the Jewels, the fra
GRANGE OF the flowers, the music. and the
brilliant lights were very beautiful in her
estimation. There was a stir at the door, the
ushers cleared the way for the bridal party.
For moment Ruth saw nothing but the trail
ing satin and flowing lace, the orange bios
SONS and sthe pearls. Then her eyes sought
the bridegroom, little, hard-faced, and
wrinkled man. She started visiblv. and
glanced to the corner where stood n yonng
man with look of intense scorn on his hand
some features Ruth remembered her cousin
Nellie's words in confidential mood | shall
never love man as | love Walter Dwight. -
The young, scornful face in the corner was
Walter Dwight's and Nellie was vowing
love, honor, and obedience to this dark faced
and wrinkled man. Ruth shuddered as her
fathers words came to mind 'The love Of
married woman ought to be the real stuff
and no imitation" She looked around and
listened. Congratulations had commenced
in the centre of the room, and rippled into
gossipy waves in the corners Ruth gather
ed that the groom was rich as a lew that
the brides silks would stand alone; that her
laces were fine as cobwebs. and rare as guinea
gold that the groom's past life would not
bear close scrutiny that the bride was list
less and Indifferent that
She heard no more, watching her cousin's
white face as Walter Dwight approached
. How could she do it?' was her involun-
tary thought-and then she checked herself
in selfcondemnation. Suppose she married
Humphrey Olcott. what better was she
Ruth never lost sight of that white face in
the supper and dancing and merriment that
followed. Even when the bride and guests
and caterers and musicians were gone, and
all the house was still, as she sat upon the
floor with her chestnut hair falling in un-
bound beauty, and the simple white dress
laid off, the brides pale face haunted bel
still. She closed her eyes to shut out the
sight, and stopped her ears to drown the
words of the Service: Until death do us
part" A lifetime She had hardly thought
80 far. A girls thoughts go so little beyond
the wedding-day, the bridal rousseau, the
gifts, the first establishment as mistress of 9
home. She Ignores so totally the plain. com
mon days that follow days, like those in the
past, full of vexations and trials-days wher
the sun is hidden and the wind blows from
the east, when the nerves are all unstrune
and trifles become tests of temper. when men
and women lay off their social aTmor, and
stand revealed to each other with all their
weakness and littleness, and blemishes un-
covered. Ruth's thoughts grew PERSONAL
Humphrey Olcott and lifetimei Years OF
fading and growing old Years of pain and
grief, perhapsl She began to have faith in
her fathers words: Wives can get along
better without lace than love- She almost
resolved to make sure of the love if she missed
the lace and. girl-like. fell asleep before the
question was quite settled.
There was golden wedding in the neigh
borhood of Farmer Beebe's. 1t was not much
of an affair; the couple were too simple and
unpretending for that.
There will be very little gold and-a great
deal of wedding" Farmer Beebe remarked
on their way.
Ruth Just returned from the city wedding,
looked up with a smile. She understood her
fathers meaning. She had gathered some
facts from her Aunt Catharine concerning
her fathers marriage. 1t had been the re-
suit of his fathers ambitious scheming that
he had welded Rachael Crane; and he had
not married her without haunting memory
of mild-eyed, gentle-voiced woman.
That golden wedding settled Ruth Beebe s
fate. Her eyes scarcely left the old couple.
She had always known them, and pronounc-
ed their devotion beautiful years before. No
bride and groom with the vows of marriage
fresh upon them had interested her like this
aged man and woman. Here was love whose
genuineness fifty years had proved-trust
L III