Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-05-13
NO. 113.
RUBY's GHOST.
RT GEORGE F. RoMER.

ding?" - 80
And the speaker looked up seriously
from her drawing, balancing an H. b. on
very dainty little finger. 81
;. those two, Ruby Farris and Alec Har-
ding, would have made pretty picture.
now that Art delights in depicting mod
ern young ladies in Costumes" and gen.
tlemen Of the period, instead Of gods and
godesses in nothing particular. Ruby had
dear little face, with rosebud mouth,
and was decidedly pleasant to look upon
and Mr.. Alec, who was evidently of that
opinion also, looked well matched with
her. being as natty specimen of good
looking young fellow as you might wish
to see
"Well that depends on what YOU mean
by the word, Miss Farris," he replied,
abstractedly. 1T has rather wide sig
nifcation." f4 g..
81 mean," she said, laying her pencil
down, and still more serious" that If you
love any one very, very much, it IS pos
sibie that they may come to you after
death-lust possible, you know?" she adj
ded. Don't reason me out of the idea,
as =! know you are going to do. | like To
believe it, ai'4ls
Then won't say a word about It. he
SAID, his face suddenly flushing; ..but in
turn, will ask you a question, which is
OF lar more Importance to me. I have
been afraid to say anything about 1t, for
You are so much too good for me-but I
can't keep quiet any longer. Ruby, my
darling, do you think you could
'.Mr. Raddles,' ii you please, Miss
and at the most important moment,
lank. awkward youth was ushered in.
Was ever anything more provoking?
Ruby telt as if she could have cried with
vexation; and Alec glared at the new
conner as If his coming were a personal
insult. Mr.. Raddles, however, being pre-
occupied and short-sighted, saw neither
Alec's irowns, nor Ruby's bushes, but
plunged into the account Of the latest cro-
quet news, and the baseball matches in
preparation, etc t
by the time these subjects We're exhaus-
ted, the family party had collected, and
any chance for II further tete a-tete for the
two was gone. Alec stood pulling his
mustache, and now-and-then, furtively
looking at Ruby, who drew diligently.
though it must be confessed, more to the
detriment of her picture than otherwise.
"Have you any commissions for me in
town, Mrs. Farris ?' he said at last, rue
fully looking at his watch. al have to 90
up to-day on business, but I only stay over
one night"
eff Mr.. Harding would bring home a
valuable pin which had been repaired, ii
would be so much safer than sending il
through the post and a line to the jewel
Ter could be written in moment
When the note was written, Alec took
leave of all Ruby's sisters in order. and
then coming to her, held out his hand with
a wistful look. The soft little fingers were
trembling and cold, but he felt sure they
slightly returned the pressure ;and he went
away happier, though disappointed.
'Oh, Mrs. Farris ! what do you think ?''
exclaimed Miss Raddles. bursting. the
next day, in the room where that good
lady was sewing, There has been such a
dreadful railway accident! The train from
New York has been run into. and ever so
many people killed. Poor MIR. Slack, and
Mrs Seaman at the corner, and that good
looking young man, Mr.. Harding, and
"Mr Harding! How very shncking!'
cried Mrs. Farris. "We know him quite
well, and-Oh, dear! my diamond Din
Why, Ruby, my child, what is the mat
ter ?'' i. II
For poor little Ruby, with a dreadful
look in her eyes, and her lips white and
parted, was standing close at hand As
her mother spoke, she made step for
ward and fell fainting. Miss Raddies de-
parted, amid the general confusion. to
remark contidentially to friend or two,
that Ruby Farris had fits; she had lust left
her in one. She had always thought that
red and white complexion really very un-
wholesome. though people admired it,
When Ruby opened her eyes again, in
bewilderment, that slowly grew to duh
lntolerable pain, she steadfastly refused to
answer the questions that were asked her.
Il want to be alone, quite alone" moaned
the poor child and SO they laid her on the
drawing room sofa. How shockingly
bright was the summer day now though
only short time since that sunshine had
seemed to accord so well with her happy
heart. They closed the Venetian blinds,
and drew heavy curtains over the glass
door that led into the garden, leaving it a
little open, that breath of fresh air might
steal through the folds, and left her-to
have nice sleep, they said. .r..
A nice sleep What a mockery all the
tender household saying had been to heri
None knew of her grief, for Ruby had
been shy ofspeaking of her scarcely-found
happiness. She felt as il the past and fn-
ture had been blotted out, as If nothing
1
ever could happen again--ever had hap
pened-but this horrible event. And vet
She wondered why she could not cry. Did
she love him less than her pet canary, that
died last week. No, not last week>-yesis
ago, when she was herself and had
heart, instead of this leaden weight that
did not feel, only pressed all the life out of
her.
Oh, if she could die and 60 to Alec!
But she could not die. She would 90 on,
living for length of years, and her youth
would pass. and wrinkles come, and her
pretty hair grow thin; and even her love-
would fade in the long years, leaving her
only sad, spiritless old maid. And poor
little Ruby's mind wandered in these sad
labyrinths OF thought, hour after hour, az
she lay in the darkened room. One mem-
ory after another passed before her, eacli
more full of pain than the other. Only
yesterday she was sitting at her drawing,
and saw him coming in from the garden
through that very door, now so heavily