Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-06-04
sOIIH AROLINA. THURSDAY, JUNE, u aIs74

rendered me yayerae from offering. Too
late Ihaye: discovered the cruel deception
your father has practiced upon me. Still
it is in my power. TO render your fateGless
wretched than you anticipate. Bearthe
name ofmy wife, command i'll my house,
dispose ofme and my fortune rs you
please. Before Heaven I promise you
solemnly to live with only as brother,
until YOU can receive me as the husband
of your choice
He ceased speaking, and sat gazing at:
her, awaiting her reply. The force of
truth is always irresistible. Ruth dried
her tears, and extended her handsto
him. 8 iysa ~ g. ''fi
I}necept your OFFER she said, .sand
thank you for your generosity; I will try,
and repay your kindnes. You have q
daughter; that child shall be my care.
But from this hour I will see my fathers
face no more, 1 forgive him the wrong he
has done me, but 1 can never willingly
behold his face. Asto my step-mother
and her daughter, as your wife, i forbid
their presence for an instant under this
roof.'
Your wishes shall besthe law Of my
house, returned her husband; fear not,
you shall be implicitly obeyed. Good
night, and without shaking hands with
her, or even looking at her, Caleb Walk
cr left his young wife one, and descend
ed the stairs.
The following day she met him with a
cheerful countenance; and a fewday later
his daughter, and interesting child about
four years old, was brought home. Ruth
was naturally a very affectlonate woman.
Estranged from her nearest connections,
by the base deception they had practiced
upon her, she needed anobjet upon which
to lavish her tenderness and soon found
HIM became p;,ss;o,,a tely
fond of her. '
Time flew by. and Caleb Walker kept
his word strictly with his beautiful wife.
He did more; he incessant in his endea-.
vors to render her happy. Two years
passed away, with scarcely any change
i'll his domestic relations, except perhaps
that Ruth was more confidential with him
and at times evinced more tenderness to-
wards him than she had hitherto done.
Etiie was he darling, and she appeared to
love the child with so strong and passion
ate an attachment, that Mr.. Walker often
marveled at it.
One day, early in the spring, Caleb
Walker informed Ruth that lie had taken
n country house for The summer. This
was welcome news to Ruth, and she be-
ga1 to prepare for their REMOVAL Three
weeks later, they were comfortably install
led in their country residence twas a
moderately-sizcd farm house, having an
abundance of shade trees and fruit sur.
rounding it, and Ruth began to busy
herself among the plants and flowers as
soon as the weather permitted. The
place was near enough to the lcity to
allow Caleb Walker to make daily visits
thereto, if he had occasion to do so. /;
1t was i'll the month of July, the wealth
CT wos intensely warm, when one morning
Caleb Walker set out for the city, TO be
absent all day. Late in the afternoon
Ruth took Efie by the hand and wan
dered into the adjacent wood to seek for
some roots she desired. So intent was
she upon the object Of her serch, that she
did not observe the heavens growing
overcast until the storm wat nearly upon
them. Then it was that she, catching
the child by the hand, hurried onward,
hoping to reach the house before the
rain fell. as,A
She was yet a half mile distant when
the storm burst upon them in all its fury
and the rain, dcsce .ng in torrents,
her and the child to the skin. She mad
passed beyond all shelter, and could find
no place nearer than her home where she
could gain refuge. 1t therefore became
n matter of sheer necessity to 60 forward.
When she arrived at her house, as might
have been expected, she was in very
exhausted condition; but Effie did not