The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-05-29
THE UNWILLING BRIDE.

Very few persons who ever knew
! Ruth McIlwain could easily forget her.
| When I first met her, she was sixteen.
The mother of Ruth McIlwain died
while she was an infant, and her father
remianded q widower for ten years, and
then married lady who had a daugh-
ter by her former husband. The sec
ond Mrs. McIlwain was q woman of
plausible manners, but of a selfish and
| artful disposition, and her daughter
Ellen resembled her exactly.
! Jonas McIlwain was one of those
every day persons who have nothing
marked in their character, if we except
only great portion of obstiuacy.
! One day when Ruth had just entered
| her seventeenth year, a gentleman
whom she had naver seen before, came
to tea with the family. He was a wild
over, about forty years of age, of good
! figure and fine manners, but plain even
to ugliness. He was silent and reserved.
| Ruth paid little attention to him, and
would have thought no more about him
had not her father said to her when he
was gone, ''Well, Ruth, what do you
think of Mr. Walker %
"I think he is extremely ugly" re-
piled his daughter.
'' Humph I" responded her father,
"thab is unlueky, for he is to be your
husband"
"My husband, father ?'' said Ruth,
raising her blue eyes and gazing at her
parent with a look of astonishment
"Oh you are jesting; that is impossi-
bIe."
"Not at ALL answered Mr.. Nell
vain. "You Will find it very true. I
assure you I am serious"
81 will never marry him." replied
Ruth, "and scarcely think he will de-
sire an unwilling bride"
"But you will not be an unwilling
| BRIDE" persisted her father.
"Don't mistake me, father" contin-
ued Ruth firmly, but kindly. In this
matter I must consult my feelings.
cannot commit so great sin.
"Well. We shall see, 'coolly responded
Mr.. McIIwain, and the conversation
dropped.
Caleb Walker was a man of immense
wealth. In early life he had emigrated
to Louisiana, when the city of New Or
leans was scarcely more than village.
and judiciously investing the means he
| possessed, he amassed great wealth.
No man had kinder or more symPa-
| thizing nature than Caleb Walker. He
| from observation, and was so unobtru-
sive, the knowledge of his benevolence
was almost invariably confined to him
self and the recipients of his bounty.
Mr.. Walker continued his visits to
| the McIlwains, and Ruth made it a
! point to keep out of his way as much
as possible. She had little difficulty in
| doing this, as he paid no particular at
| tention to her. She perceived, how
ever, that her step-mother and sister
were frequently closeted together, and
that their minds seemed always occU-
| pied with something that she could not
! discover. They sometimes looked at
her in a peculiar manner.
One day, when she was alone with
| Ellen, she said
'What is it that occupies you and
mother so much ?"
Her step-sister answered with great
deliberation, "The preparation for
| your marriage, my dear"
" My marriage, sister With whom?"
"Your father certainly has informed
| you that you are to marry Mr.. Walker, "
replied Ellen, looking fxedly into
Ruth's face.
ooh yes, he said So" replied
Ruth, "but I cannot believe he means
it."
" Why not ?" asked Ellen, elevating
her eyebrows.
Because" replied Ruth, "it's a
very summary way of disposing of my
/ affections, and think I am entitled to
/ a say in the matter"
Ellen laid her hand on Ruth's shoul-
der. " My DEAR" she said, don't be
silly. You certainly will marry Mr..
! Caleb Walker. He is a gentleman of
immense wealth, and will make you an
! excellent husband. Besides, he is
| fond of you, though you will not give
| him a chance of making you sensible of
/ the fact. There is not a girl In the
| community but what would dance at
/ your chance. I am sure I would"
! "Then take him" said Ruth.
Sc But can't take him." replied Ell
/ len " he don't want me. Besides, my
dear, everything is settled in your case;
even your wedding wardrobe is pur-
chased"
Ruth took her step-sister by the
hand. els this true ?" she asked
| solemnly.
." It is true ?" replied the other.
Mr.. McIiwain, was absent in the
/ country. Ruth, therefore, went to her
| step-mOther, who listened to her sup
/ plications with a countenance as i'm
movable as stone.
{" I am surprised at this nonsense, -
she cried. "I expected to find you a
reasonable girl Are you going mad
/ Do you really know what you are re-
fusing? This is preposterous. There
is scarcely a young lady in the country
who would refuse Mr.. Walker. What
are yoIr objections TO him, pray p
g / don't love him." sobbed Ruth.
Well. who said yOu did ?, cried her
step-mother. "Bat You can DO so you
viii have plenty of time, and he is a
kind msn and viii teach you to do so. u
u viii be committing a sin if