Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-12-12

III Juo dlT, only broken, not marreu, Dy
the bursting and pattering of nuts, by
tho ripple of the falling leaf, and the
rnournful melody of the criekets and
one grew to have O sense of insecurity
in all this beauty, as if breath would
break the spell, bedin the gold, and
sadden the scarlet leaf. At All-Hal-
lowe'en the youhg'm men and girls assem-
bied in the kitchen at the Hill Farm to
work their charms, while they dived for
the lucky apple, and searched the
melted lead for the implements of their
future sweethearts' craft, and roasted
chesthuts.
"Did any one name my chestnut :"
asked Ruth, as it began to burn brightly.
"I named it," said Elkanah.
"You? And who, pray ?"
81 named it the master of Ridge
Farm" he replied. "See the two
flames have become one-that signifies
marriage"
"Then III dtench it," Ruth cried,
throwing water upon the blaze. "The
master of Ridge Farm, indeed, to marry
a crutchP 1t is not seemly of you to
be laughing at me, Elkanah Reed"
Am I laughing at you? You
had plow in the lead for your share !:
they should go together"
There are other farmers in the
land, thank Heaven"
Though Ruth would not confess it,
even to herself, the year had been full
of disappointment to her, and now as
the wind whistled through the leafess
bcughs of November, and the Indian
summer was vanishing like beautiful
wrath, and the time drew near for
Elkanah to depart, she was oppressed
with foreboding of trouble and grief,
which wes realized one morning when
Uncle Isaac fell asleep in his arm
chair, with the November sunshine on
his face. Hush, don't wake him."
she said to Elkanah, when he came in
to dinner; "he rested poorly last
night"
"But he's gone to his eternal rest to-
day, Ruth" said Elkanah, touching
the dead mans hand. There was a
hushed stir in the farmhouse next day,
friends and relatives coming post-haste,
needles and neighbors busy over yards
of bombazine. But when Uncle Isaac
left the Hill Farm forever, Ruth awoke
to the fact that she had no longer any
home. The will in which Isaac Hill
was to have provided for her had been
put aside unfinished; the farm was to
be sold and the proceeds to be divided
among the heirs; and the only one
among them who offered her a shelter
was the cousin she had refused to
marry years before, and whose wife did
not naturally second thu invitation.
Alone, homeless, and crippled, Ruth
found herself as Christmas drew near,
when comfort and friends and good
cheer seem the only natural things, and
misfortune spot on the holiday sun, a
cloud in its sky. The place was to be
sold the following week, and there was
a great packing up and pulling down,
and the familiar rooms she had known
so long were as naked and forlorn as
the outside world, and every one was
moving homeward for the holidays.
But where should she go, and what
should she do Pa woman on a crutch !
"And where do you go, Miss Ruth ?"
asked Elkanah, as if he had heard her
thoughts.
"You know almost as we'll as do"
she answered, sadly.
"Aye, perhaps I know better" he
said, raking together the Goals upon the
hearth. All the household goods,
packed and labeled, stood ready to
depart in the wainscoted kitchen, while
Ruth sat on the old settee, with her
hands idly folded over each other.
"It is Christmas tomorrow" she
said, bitterly. "Last year we had
dance in the kitchen here, and could
balance with the best"
"Do you recall the day I came here
the early spring day?" asked Elka-
nah, sitting down beside her on the
settee, and taking her hand in his broad
palm. The thing was so strange on his
part that Ruth drew it away quickly
and turned ber head aside.
"Aye, remember we'll enough" If
this man was going to take pity upon
her, she would show him that even q
cripple had some pride, some spirit
and yet there had been something in
the touch of his warm hand that was
pleasant. She was almost sorry she
had drawn her hand away, but could
not give it back.
" And do you mind what answer I
made when you asked why left Ridge
Farm ?" not needing her rebuff, but
leaning nearer and winding vagabond
curl about an audacious brown finger.
" Yes," she said, twisting the curl
into the net that confined her hair to-
day" yes, you said you left Ridge
Farm because you wished to earn more.
or words to that effect, not worth re-
membering ;" for she was angry with
herself because she remembered them
SO faithfully.
+" And can you guess what it was I
wished to earn? Can youp Come,
here's new conundrum. Look me in
the face, Ruth, while I tell you the
answer. How long was it Jacob served
for Rachel I came to earn your love,
Ruth. Put your hand into mine, child
if I have not failed, and let us be
thankful together" And truth to tell,
the truant hand crept shyly back and
nestled into his.
"And now you see, sir" laughed
Ruth, on Christmas morning, as they
left Greenside together, with the bells
pealing across the frosty air, and drove
toward Elkanah's home, where he had
sent word for a parson to meet him
"now, you see, shall never marry the
master of Ridge Farm, and make all the
girls envious. Who knows with q
touch of her old mischief" I
might have done better for myself and
my crutch ?"
"Who knows, indeed ?" answered
Elkanah and when, after half days
journey, he drew up before q farm
house and called for man to take his