Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-07-31

clothes with him. Doctor, you sit down
this minute, and write to him not to do
it, anyway, unless he gets himself fixed
up some.
L looked over at Annie, and said,
Pshaw ] wife, if the girl cares much
about him, clothes won't make any diff
ference, and if it is clothes she wants,
we don't want her; besides, Ned's got
handsome face, and looks well enough;
he'll manage that, you needn't worry"
How quickly a mother takes every
thing in. And I must confess I shook
little in my own boots, for I have a
vague idea girls do like to see their gen
tlemen friends in raiment suited to
gentleman. But the next letter from
the young man, dilating on the beauties
of Canada, and its superior advantages,
set our minds at rest on the clothes
question.
A few weeks ago took trip to my
old home in the East. It had been
many years since had seen my boy
hoods home-so long, indeed, that in
many of the old families L used to
myself off as Elder Knap, and begged
for my destitute church, or asked leave
to stay over night, without their having
a suspicion of my identity. While there,
I received letter from little Ruth
King, earnestly inviting me to come
over and make them a visit, with post
script from Mrs. King, making the invi-
tation still stronger. How they knew /
was 80 near them, that big boy of mine
at Ann Arbor can only tell. L made up
my mind would accept, and few days
afterward went, and was received with
cordiality that warmed me all through,
and made me believe more strongly than
ever before that human nature is good,
honest nature, most of it anyway, and
Canada nature good deal like the rest.
Mrs. King did have the silver puffs,
under the snowy cap, and the pure, wo-
manly face l knew she must have.
Mr.. King was a severely honest En-
glishman, and Mary, the oldest daughter,
very much like him,-an open face, and
good constitution, thoroughly energetic
in her ways. She saw the justice of a
thing as well as the goodness of it. A
character you could always tie to, that
is, if you a0dnted to. I thought / saw
glimmer of light, and why Johnston
King had left his home, and wandered
so far away from it, wandered in more
than a literal sense, because a father
had been unkind in his justice. 1t
seems almost wrong, sometimes, that a
just father and an lmpetuous son are
not allowed to understand each other.
Ruth was like her mother, with quiet,
winning ways, and a loving, happy face,
deep heart, and a clear head and, I
soon found out, quite able to hold her
own when she was attacked. A face that
made you feel instinctiyely that " still
waters run deepest"
As went into the pleasant home par
lor, bright fire burned in the CRATE,
and just above the mantel, in heavy
gilt frame, hung painting of the boy L
had laid in his coffin SO far from this
home. An ivy vine was wreathed
around it, and it was hung in such a
way that it could be seen from every
with something of both Ruth and Mary
in it. stopped before it as I entered,
| and I knew that mother stood beside
| me, though did not turn my head.
| The sisters were near me, also, and the
father little apart, with his head bow
ed, and his hand folded behind him. AS
I turned toward the mother, she tooE
the hand I held out to her, spoke not
\ word there was no word to speak
but we understood each other, and thai
was enough.
I staid few days, and had mos
delightful visit. The evening I came
away I happened to be in the parlol
alone, when Ruth came in softly ani
stood beside me. I put my arm rount
her, and drew her to me, running m.
hand through her long, light curls, and
over her fair, white forehead. Sh,
turned her face toward me, "And sh,
was one, the beauty of whose eyes were
evermore sweet surprise" AS I look
ed at her, little searchingly, I fear,
soft flush came into her face, and tn,
twinkle in her eyes grew brighter, a
she said, almost in a whisper: "Well
will do ?'
Since my return home I have writer
to Ned of my visit, and the pleasure
gave me that little Ruth was all ha'
expected from the inlook into her char
acter her letters had given me. An,
now, suppose, from little signs hav
discovered, there will be wedding
somewheresin her Maiesty's Dominion
the coming summer, and I shall have
daughter to brighten an old doctor
home.