The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-09-15

lace with re. erence to their own tOllettcS, and
10 women who have lost their love of dress
with their youth; but to young girl who
knows that the fril around her throat has
much to do with the tint of her complexion
and that web Of delicate thread softens the
beauty Of plump, round arms, this question Of
lace is an all-absorbing one.
Ruth Beebe had other thoughts, standing
at the little counter, comparing the lace she
wanted with the lace she did not want, trying
to reconcile quantity, and quality, and price.
From tangled thoughts of lace it was step
to tangled thoughts of life, for Ruths life was
somewhat tangled now 1t had been very
smooth life until Mrs. Becbe's ambition had
changed it, Ruth Beebe only year young
err than she was now, standing under the ap-
pie trees, with pink and white blossoms fall
ing on her chestnut hair, looked up beyond
the brown hands that sifted the apple bios.
SONS through his fingers, into Jerome Ander-
sons honest, love-lit eyes, and there was no
ENHANCEMENT in her life then
Mrs. Beebc, from the farmhouse window,
looked into the orchard with brow piled full
of frowning wrinkles. Jacob" she called,
in loud, decided tone.
Jacob did not hear He was either asleep
or dreaming just in sight of the pretty picture
in the apple orchard.
"Jacob!" exclaimed Mr. Bcebe, this time
touching the man on his shoulder
Jacob Beebe came to consciousness with a
start. WHAT'S the matter, Rachel 2" he
asked. care the COWS in the corn, or-?Y
"No, no p answered his wife, impaticntly
cts about Ruth
"What's about Ruth p inquired the man,
subsding into seat
"What I've got to say" answered Mrs.
Bcebe.
"Oh, thought it was young Anderson's
arm" said Jacob Beebe with low, chuck
ling laugh.
Mrs. Beebe rose up in her wrath "Jacob, y
she said, ''yau're "a" The angry woman
changed her mind, and modified her remark.
"You're enough to try the patience of a
saint" she said
Jacob Becbe lauged. The laugh, inter-
preted, said, "That is not YOU
"Ruth is woman continued Mrs. Beebe,
emphatically
"Hardly," answered her husband. medita-
lively Its only a few years since she was
baby"
Ell ghteen-just eighteen, the tenth of last
month"; corrected Mrs Bcebc ''But that S
neither here nor there. She is a woman and
is thinking of beaux, and the next thing she
will be getting married"
"Married y echoed Jacob Bcebe, sadly.
"Yes, of course; but it's a pity"
"Now the question is who shall she mar
Rooha r. che
stating problem in algebra or proposition
in geometry.
cit amt for you or me to say" was the
calm reply of her husband.
"She is pretty enough and good enough for
the Governor" exclaimed Mrs. Beebe.
"Or the President" added Jacob Beebe,
with proud smile.
"She amt likely to marry anybody that
will be credit to her family, staying around
here and going with that young Anderson"
said Mrs Becbe, Indignantly.
jerome is likely lad,' answered Jacob
in kindly tone.
"Hc isn't the man for our Ruth /; only an
Anderson and his father in debt when he
died, and all the family hanging on to Je-
rome," demonstrated Mrs Beebe. s1f you
haven't ambition enough to want to settle
your daughter better in life than that, have,
and I've been thinking it would be good
thing to send Ruth to her aunt Catharine's in
the city, and let her see little of the world."
At last Mrs. Beebe had said what she intended
to say when she aroused her husband from
his nap or dream with that shrill cry Of GA
cob"
There had been remonstrance on Farmer
Beebe's part It was hard to give up his
daughter for a few mouths even. He did not
sec her danger in staying homc as her mother
did, and he did see her danger in going away
as her mother did not But Mrs Beebe car
red her point. 1t was her way to overcome
all obstacles that Jacob Beebe could inter-
pose.
From this visit had come the ENHANCEMENT
Of Ruth Beebe's life. 1t was easy to cngraft
on young mind like hers a taste for the lux
uries that surrounded her i'll her auut's home.
and Mrs. Beebe ambitious and scheming,
was gratifed on Ruth's return to see that she
did not settle down quite content with the old
simple ways of living The discomfort might
have worn away but for Mrs. Beebe's foster
ing, and the attentions Of Humphrey Olcott,
LHS ITCH HAL Oh tue UIlI ucSc dttculioIo III
their ultimate meaning settled so satisfactory
ly the troublesome questions Of taste and abl-
ity, that Ruth was tempted to make the most
of them But there was Jerome Anderson,
the honest young farmer, who looked tcnderly
on Ruth and askance at the rich man on the
hill and with thoughts of him all of Ruth's
life, with it's opposing claims and counter for
ces, twisted itself into tangle as perplexing
as the Gordian knot She was working away
mentally at the tangled web that night, as she
sat at the little work table, with the poor can
delight falling ON the white muslin and bit
Of lace Mrs Beebe looked at the clock 1t
would soon be time for jacobs return, and
she had something to say to Ruth in her hus
bands absence.
II don't know what you re thinking of to
encourage poor man like jerome Ander
son." she said, at length, biting off her thread
with jerk eff was you I'd give him his
walking papers
Ruth recognized that as a bold advance
movement to draw her into - wordy combat
She had been there before and knew the
ground we'll She snuffcd the candle without
a word of comment. Silence was the only
entrenchmcnt into which she could retire
Mrs Beehe changed her tactics These
candles are miserable" she remarked. in inf
mite disgust. "That last tallow wasn't tried