Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-03
gales ann gketeBrs.
THE MODERN RUTH.

BY THE AUTHOR OF ''CoBwEBS," " ETC.
1t was a terrible breakup. The loving
husband, the tender father had gone to his
rest, and now Ruth and her mother had to
face the world alone
Nor was this all. Mr.. Hunter had been
generally considered one of the wealthiest
farmers in the neighborhood, but he was
now found to have died insoKent. For
years he had been living beyond his means.
Il told you So said one of the wiseacres,
when he sent his darter to school in Bos-
ton, as if the schools here warn't good
enough; knew how it would oe.' The
farm was mortgaged for its entire value,
and was Immediately foreclosed and when
the other debts were paid, there was not a
dollar left.
Ruth and her mother would have had nc
roof even to shelter them, if Ruth had not
inherited, from a maiden aunt, little,
tumble-down cottage, with an acre or two
of pasture land, on the outskirts of the vii,
lage. Thither the two mourners repaired,
with the few bits of furniture the law al
lowed them, and began the hardest of all
struggles, the battle with poverty on the
part of woman, battle rendered the more
difficult in this case, because both had been
tender!y, even luxuriously nurtured, and
had never before known what it was to
have to deny themselves.
Il am such a burden TO you, Ruth,
moaned the widow. who was now COM
pletely broken down, not only in spirits,
but in health also. If it wasn't for me,
you could go off somewhere and earn your
living like lady. You could teach music,
or be governess, or obtain situation in
school. But while Pm an invalid, and
l suppose l shall now always be one, you
are tied to my bedside"
Ruth was of different character from
her mother. She was more energetic, more
self-reliant, more heroic She had also the
courage of youth on her side.
God will PROVIDE she said. He helps
those who help themselves, What with
my needle, our cow, and the vegetable
garden | shall make, we will get along IA
mOusly.'
So this refined, cultivated girl, who had
been reared, as it were, amid rose-leaves,
went to work, uncompainingly, to support
her mother and herself. For awhile, too,
it seemed as if her confidence was prophet
ic. Mrs. Hunter recovered her health SO
as to be able to be about. Everything
went well. At the end of the first summer
Ruth, proudly counting up her gains, said,
Mother, dear, we have not only supported
ourselves, but we have saved money; we
are getting rich
But, alas different times came. In the
autumn, Mrs. Hunter fell i'll of rheumatic
fever, for the situation of the cottage was
low and damp. She had to take to her bed
again. She was no longer able to help
Ruth with her needle. Poor Ruth could
now earn but little herself, her time being
occupied so much in nursing her mother.
The doctors bill and the medicines soon
absorbed her small savings. She began to
fall behind. The COW, finally had to be
sold, and at last, in order to avert absolute
starvation, Ruth was compelled to mort
gage the cottage.
In the two year that followed, Elatters
went from bad to worse. Mrs. Hunter
still remained bed-riden. Do all she could
Ruth was unable to make both ends meet
The interest on the mortgage fell into ar
rears. Lawyer Dent, who represented the
holder, began to clamor for the arrears
At last. in the third summer of Ruth'i
orphanage, came legal notice. that unless
the interest was paid up, in full, the cot
tage would be sold.
The day before this notice was served
Ruth had gone in person to lawyer Dent
hoping to touch his heart. But he was dea