The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-05-30
THE UNWILLING BRIDE.

! The UNWILLING BRIDE.
Nerv few persons who ever knew
| Ruth McTlwain could easily forget her.
When first met her, she was sixteen.
The mother of Ruth McIlwain died
while she was an infant, and her father
remianded a widower for ten years, and
! then married a lady who had a daugh-
| ter by her former husband. The sec
/ ond Mrs McIlwain was a woman of
/ plausible manners, but of a selfish and
artfnl 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 obstinacy.
One day when Ruth had Just entered
her seventeenth year, 4 gentleman
whom she had never seen before, came
to tea with the family. He was a wild
over, about forty years of age, of good
figure and fiue 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 sa q TO her when he
was gone, "Well, Ruth, what do you
think of Mr.. Walker ?"
81 think he is extreHely.ugly," re-
plled MS dauPnuer.
Humph responded her father,
''that is unlucky, 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 testing that is impossi-
BILE"
." Not at all. answered Mr. Nell
vain. You will find it very true. I
assure You am serious"
81 will never marry him, replied
Ruth, and | scarcely think he viii de
sire an unwilling bride"
" But you viii not be an unwilling
bride" persisted her father.
matter must s6nsuit my iieelrnss.
cannot commit so great a sin.
"Well. we shall see, "coolly responded
Mr.. McIlwain, 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 a village.
and judiciously investing the means he
possessed, he amassed great wealth.
No man had a 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 coDfEed to him
self and the recipients of his bounty.
Mr. Walker continued his visits to
the McIlwains, and Ruth made it
point to keep ont 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 cleseted together, and
that their minds seemed always occu-
pied with something that she could not
discover. They sometimes looked at
her in 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"
" Ny 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 / cannot believe he means
it.
" Why not ?" asked Ellen, elevating
her eyebrows.
because" replied Ruth, "it's
very summary way of disposing of my
affections, and 1 think am entitled to
I say in the matter"
Ellen laid her hand on Ruth's shoul-
der. My DEAR" she said, 3 don't be
silly. You certainly will marry Mr..
Caleb Walker. He is gentleman of
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 girl in the
but what wouIo dance az
your chance. / am sure 1 would"
"Then take him., said Ruth
" But 1 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
(" 1t is true ?" replied the other.
Mr.. McIlwain, was absent in the
country. Ruth, therefore, went to her
step mother, who listened to her sup
plications with countenance as i'm
as stone.
81 am surprised at this nonsense"
she cried. 81 expected to find you
girl. Are you going mad ?
Do you really know what you are re-
fusing? This is preposterous. There
is scarcely young lady in the country
who would refuse Mr.. Walker. What
are your objections to him, pray %
81 don't love him, sobbed Ruth.
a." Well, who said you did p cried her
step-mother. "But you can do so you
viii have plenty of time, and he is
kind man and will teach you to do so. F."
ST will ba committing a sin if /
marry him. won't marry a man that
I scarcely know and do not love, said
Ruth
"You may alter your opinion, " re-
piled Mrs. McIlwain. 1t Is to your
father you must say that.
Will you not appeal to him for me?"
sobbed Ruth.
"No, replied her step-mother sternly,
as she went out of the room.
Several days elapsed without Ruth
seeing either her father or Mr.. Walker,
when one bright morning, as she was
upon her bed, her father en-
tered the chamber, and commanded her
to prepare herself instantly to marry
Caleb Walker.
"All is prepared" he said harshly
"g get up instantly and dress yourself.
Let me hear no murmur,