The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-09-10

and fell i'm shining waves and ringlets +
the slender waist. Eyes of the deepes
blue, shaded by long, golden lashes,
saucy little nose, "tip tilted, like tn
petal of a flower" charming littl
mouth, and beautifully nodded chin
combined to form very lovely face.
What is il, Ruth, that sends that thrill
to your heart? Is it the earnest gaz
Amos bends upon his gay companion
What is it they are discussing so warmly
Drawing little nearer, Ruth discover
that the comparative merits of city ant
country life is the engrossing subject.
Amos grows very earnest over it, ant
denounces the artificial life of the city
while the girl, more for the sake of argu
ment than anything else, upholds th
advantages of life in the busy, bustlin!
city.
At length some one proposed music
and Alice Raynor yielded with swee
grace to the solicitations of many.
Il generally sing to an accompaniment
but as Cousin Mary is strict littl
Quaker, / looked about in vain for
piano. Well, I'll do my best. Wha
shall it be? THE Last Rose of Sum
mel? p" And waves of melody ran,
through the room. Her voice was highl!
cultivated, wonderfully pure and sweet
She warbled like bird, and with a
little effort apparently. Song followed
song in rapid succession, till, as the las
notes of the sweetest of songs, "Joy'
that we've tasted" fell on the ear, tht
hearers pressed forward, and expressed
their delight.
She bowed her thanks, and turned tt
Amos. His eloquent glance expressed
more freely than words his enjoyment o.
the rare treat
The hours passed rapidly with mirth
and music. At length the little hostess
invited her guests into the long dining
room, to partake of the tempting display
of edibles. After ample justice had been
done the delicate viands the young folks
returned to the parlor, for one last game
of blind-man's-buff. After the rollicking
Jolly game was ended, shawls and muf.
Gers were donned, many good nights
were said, and the gay party separated
Amos handed Ruth into the sleigh,
and taking seat beside her, they were
soon gliding over the glittering snow.
The drive was a quick one. Amos
seemed pre-occupied, and Ruth was
heartily glad when home was reached.
Wishing Amos good night" she hurried
into the house, and went right to her own
room.
"Well, the long looked forward to
evening has come and gone. l confess it
wasn't half 80 pleasant as / thought it
would be. And Mary says she is going
to make long stay. Well, really, l be-
lieve / am jealous of that pretty girl
This will never, never do," and, hastily
disrobing, Ruth was soon sleeping the
sleep of youth and innocence; and slept
on undisturbed till her mothers gentle
voice aroused her.
"Come, Ruth, tits time thee was up !;
see how high the sun is. wouldn't call
thee before. / knew thee was tired out.
Hurry down and tell us all about it.
Thy father has been down these two
hours, and I doubt not is very hungry"
And Friend Elizabeth patted down the
stairs, and into the warm dining-roOm,
and busted herself giving the last touches
to the neat breakfast table.
She was soon followed by Ruth, and
while enjoying the fragrant coffee and
delicious mullins, Ruth told them of the
gay doings of the young folks, and called
smiles to the kind old faces by her merry
description of the scene, feeling sad
enough at heart, poor child! as she re-
called several little instances that had
rather marred the pleasure of the eve
ming for her.
The weather continued clear and cold,
and the sleighing fine; and sleighing
parties came to be quite the order of the
evening.
But Amos visits to Ruth were rare.
He was completely entranced by the
grace and beauty of Alice Raynor. All
his evenings were spent in her society.
In her smiles he was happy. Listening
to her voice in conversation, Oh drinking
in her silvery tones as she sang the sweet
old songs, or trilled some opera gem, he
forgot her who had been all the world to
him, till this charming stranger ap-
peared.
Do not blame him TOO severely; he was
young and manlike, very susceptible to
fattery, and the wiles of this pretty
woman Overcame him.
1t was bright afternoon. The sun
beams crept in through the clear window
panes and lighted up the well-worn
carpet, the straight backed chairs, and
shining mahogany table in the dining
room, where Ruth sat all alone.
Her mother and father had gone to
visit sick neighbor, and would be away
till night; so the little maiden, after
tidying up, had put on fresh back log,
taken out her knitting, and was just con-
graduating herself on the prospect of a
nice quiet time all to herself. when,
after a sharp, little tap at the door, the
knob was turned, and Dorcas Jones
walked in.
Now Dorcas was great gossip. She
was a seamstress, and, in her visits from
one house to another, picked up many
little bits of news, and rolled them like
sweet morsels under her tongue; and
nothing delighted her more than to COM
municate spicy little piece of gossip to
an attentive hearer.
Because of her great propensity of
tattling, she was Ruth's special aversion,
and her entrance was generally the signal
for Ruth's departure from the room. But
on this occasion, she saw that escape was
impossible, and made up her mind to bear
the inhiction, secretly hoping something
would shorten her mothers visit.
"Good afternoon, Dorcas. Come i'm.
Mother has gone out to pay visit, but /
hope will be in before long. Is it very
cold ?"
"Well, no, 'tisn't so cold as 'spected
to find it. And how are you all? told
Jane it seemed long time since I'd seen
any of you. / thought I'd just run over
and spend social evening, 20 put my
work in my pocket and started of. I'll
just take off my things, for, as Mary
Jane says, when / get into this house, ]
never know when to leave. But, as /
tell her, body always knows when
they're well of, and that's the way j feel
when get to Friend Miller's."
And Dorcas laid aside her gray
shawl, and prim little bonnet, and pro-
ceeded to make herself comfortable by
drawing her easy chair nearer the fire,
lifting her petticoats little higher, and
cleyating her feet 30 that her damp shoes