The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-03-16
THE MAROULS.
BY CHAUNCY HIcKox.

Mrs. Ruggles lived near Crawfish
Creek. Crawfish Creek ran near
Thompson City. Thompson City was
in the midst of a great country-ac-
cepting local testimony and a rank
growth of corn and politicians as the
tests of greatness. The earth there
was mOnotOnously parched in sum-
mer, and'mOnOtOnOusly muddy at all
! other times. The forests were gigan-
I tic, the air carbonic, and when the
citizens wished to give Thompson
I City the highest cOmmendatiOn, they
/ did so by saying that "fevernagur''
was-worse in some other places.
/ In the parlor of Mrs. Ruggles, which
was also her kitchen and dining-hall,
| hung a frame containing a 7x9 mir
rOr, which was the frames excuse for
| being, although a Compartments above
and one below held squares of glass
covered with paint instead of mercury.
The lower one was colOred like the
I contents of a washtub after a liberal
use of indigo; and in the center was a
/ horizontal stroke of red, surmOunted
/ by perpendicular dash of white, in
/ tersected by an oblique line of black
with a white sail and black spar, max
ing an endless voyage across the lake
of indigo. The black crosses in the
sky were birds. The black lines on
the left were bulrushes. And among
these bulrushes a certain gloomy lit
( tie object was either u Hebrew prophet
or a muskrat.
Above the mirror was painted a
longtailed coat, from behind which
1 extended n hand holding bell-crOwn-
ed hat, to whose scarlet lining the
holder seemed inviting thespectator's
particular attention. There were also
a pair of legs and boots, heavy shock
of hair, a laby rinth of neckclOth and
fiorid human face. Under the boots
were the words, marquis dc la Fdy-
cite" And the beholder was ever in
doubt whether the Marquis was try
ing to stand exclusively upon this ti-
tie or was uncOnsciously trampling it
into the ground
Mrs. Kuggles admired this picture.
Her knowledge Of French was not
great, but her ear was delicate; and
thinking the words sounded hand
some" she had deliberately conferred
them upon her first-bOrn. When in
good humOr she was content with
calling him "MaTquisdee." In fact,
it was only when chasing him into
the street with a lilac bush in her
hand that she insisted on addressing
him by his full name. At such times,
between each flourish of the lilac bush
and each yell of the young nObleman,
she pronounced with significant full
ness, with fearful exactness, the hand
sOme-sOunding name of Marquis de Ia
Fayette Ruggles. His playmates,
however, had not the delicate ear of
the mother, and as the son had brown
specks on his face, he was popularity
known as 'Frecky Rug"
Mrs. Ruggles and her late husband
were pioneers in the Crawfish Valley.
Subsequent settlers knew little, and
apparently cared less, about her. They
knew, however, that she had been q
Peables, and that Peables blood was
still doing its duty in her veins. And
from her independence and reserve
they argued that the Geables must
have been "high up'-at least in the
estimation Of Mrs. Ruggies. After
Mr.. Ruggles had been overcome by
malaria in clearing the creek-bottoms
the pride of the Peables blood had sus-
tanned her in 4 long, brave fight with
circumstances.
1t was while he lay one night upon
his deathbed, mistaking a watching
neighbOr for his wife, that he started
up, saying, "Becky, if 1 could prove it
to you afOre l died ~
"Out of his head" was the quiet re-
mark of Mrs. Ruggles to the watching
neighbor by the bedside. There was
no further sign of delirium. That ex-
clamatiOn of the dying Mr.. Ruggles
was a mystery TO the women of Craw-
fish Greek, and remains so to this day.
It may be that the pride of Mrs.
Ruggles was an excess Of her wisdom,
1t may be if that pride had been a lit
tie more respected by the irreverent
CTawfish settlers, they would not have
had occasion TO wonder, as they did
wonder, how a heart so true, an hon
esty so stoical, a discrimination so
acute could exist with ali indepen-
dence so absurd,a "a mind so uncultured,
a sense of dignitysO ridiculous as were
found united in her character. Itmay
be that the Peables blood was worthy
of receiving honor as great as the rid
icule it did receive. It may be if the
world had known the Peableses it
would have been as proud of them as
she was.
She was aperson of serupulOus neat
ness, careful never to be seen by
strangers except in tidy dress, and
with her hair in a Grecian knot,
gracefully secured by a leather string
and wooden peg. "Weak cIeepings"
were her main reliance in the way of
disease. She was also troubled at
times with "fullness of the head.n
In addition, there were other times
when her right side "felt separate"
But she seldom complained of any
thing belonging to herself. Even her
maladies, she took pleasure in know
ing, were very different from those
enjoyed by certain other women.
Unwilling TO be too familiar with
onv one baser than a Ruggles, she
usually dined, as she lived, alone with
her noble son.
On a certain summer evening she
stirred her tea long time ia silence.
She stirred it vigorously, creating a
maelstrom inside her cup, where, very
like 9 whale in the stOry-books, lit
tie crust of bread disappeared and re-
appeared, and sailed round and round
as If very much perplexed. Then she
unconsciOusly reversed the current OF
the maelstroun, sending the baked and
buttered whale to the bottom.
II never see that air Miller, no
odds how well I be-" she remarked
mechanically to the teapot, "but
what l feel weak creepiD's come over
me; be puts dye-stuffs on his baird.
An when mans whiskers is gray
an his head keeps black, its a sign he
uses his jaw more'n hedoes his brains.
Z An that yalleT-headed dolI-baby o,