Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-09-10
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ONL ONE FI III +.

You may see it in Greenwood Gene
tcry. A splendid tombstone, with II wo-
mans name upon it. Not Ruth Holly
though that is tho name under which you
shall know her-but prouder name, and
one YOU may have heard, Flowers grow
about her tomb. and the turf lies softly
over it. You would hardly guess herliie
had its sad end rs you stood there. Rath-
er would fancy that love and tenderness
surrounded one, over whom such . costly
pile of sculptured marble rears itself. from
her birth unto her death.
It's story such rs seldom write
this life of hers-one that cannot be end
ed by happy reunions. aud the sweet
sound of marriage bells; but there are too
many such stories in the world TO be quiet.
ly passed over. If, haply. there be any
warning in them. The lives Of others
are, if we read them rightly, the best SER
mons ever preached, and this of Ruth
IIolly's is only too true. Yet it began
very sweetly. like some old pastoral poem.
She loved. and was beloved again, and
the man she loved had only one fault
He was young, he was brave. he was wit
". he was handsome, he was generous :;
his love was devotion, his friendship no
luke-warm thing of words; he had great
talent and great power. Ills eloquence
had thrilled many an audience worth the
thrilling What he wrote touched the
soul to the very quick. He was an ANA
teur painter and musician. and everywhere
was loved, honorcd and admired. He had
only one fault in the world-be drank too
much wine at times. When he did so he
turned. so conyivial friends said, into a
very demi-god. 1t was wrong. but not
so bad as it might have been, and he
would sow his wild oats some day. they
said. loving him as all friends loved him !;
and so Ruth thought. Sweet, loving,
beautiful Ruth, TO whom he had plighted
his trolh. and wooed in verse and song,
and with his most eloquent eyes, long be-
fore he had put his passion into words !;
but so did not think Ruth Holly's father.
This one fault of Edward Helly's over
shadowed his virtue in his eyes, and he
refused him his daughters hand, giving
him the reason why, kindly and plainly.
You'll be drunkard yet, Ned Holly,
said the old man, shaking his head stern
". I've seen men of genius 60 the same
road before. I've said Id rather have no
talent in my family, since 1t seems to lead
so surely to dissipation. My sons are not
vet too brilliant 10 be sober men, thank
heaven, and as for my daughter, only a
sober gentleman shall have her for wife /;
you'd break her heart. Ned Holly"
So the dashing man of letters felt him
self insulted. and retorted hotly, and The
two were enemies.
Ruth suffered bitterly; she loved her
father and she loved Edward; to disobey
her parent, or TO break her lovers heart.
seemed the only choice offered her. She
had other lovers, she had seen much So
ciety, and had been INTRODUCED to the high
est circles in France. rs well as in Eng
land but amongst all the men she had
known none pleased her as well as Ed
ward Holly did. Not what one styles an
intellectual woman herself, she reverence
ed intellect, and her affections were in
tense. The struggle in her heart was
terrible.
She met her lover by stealth, against
her fathers will; but for 3 long while she
resisted his entreaties to marry him in de-
fiance of The old mans refusal. At last,
angered by her persistence in obedience.
Edward accused her OF fearing to share
the fortunes of one so comparatively poor
one who must carve his own way up
life's steep hill without assistance. The
dnmerited reproach sunk deeply into her
warm heart, and in sudden impulse oil
tenderness and sympathy. she gave HIM
the promise he had so long sought in vain.
They were married that evening, and be-
fore morning were upon their way TO a