The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-06-04

oOACA1 auu4IhhlOu. SQe refused TO suffer
them to come into her presence. Sud
den Indlsposition served as pretext for
her leaving the company, and her hus-
band had presence OF mind enough to
put the best face upon the matter.
When the guests had departed, Caleb
| Walker ascended the stairs with a slow
step and thoughtful nien, and tapped
at his wife's door.
g Let me in" he said in a low tone.
have something say to you that
will not displease you"
Ruth opeDed the door, but averted
her eyes. Her husband OWNED what
was passing through her mind. Seating
himself near her, he spoke in the tore
OF man whose soul is penetrated with
sorrow.
Do not make yourself unhappy, "
he said. Hear me patiently. If I
tell You that I repent having married
You, you will not perhaps believe me /:
vet 1t Is true. / was made to believe
by your father aud step-mother, that
your affections were disengaged, and
that you had no aversion to me-that
you would dispense with those atten-
| tions customary from q lover to his
betrOthed, but which the difference of
our ages, and my consciousness that
| nature had dealt hardly with me, rem
dered me averse from Offering. Too
late have discovered the cruel decep-
tion your father has practiced upon me.
Still it is in my power to render your
fate less wretched than you anticipate.
Bear the name of my wife, command in
my house, dispose of me and my for
tune as you please. Before Heaven, I
promise you sOlemnly to live with you
only as a 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 hand
to him.
8" accept your Offer" she said,
"and thank you for your generosity I
will try and repay yyur kindness. You
have daughter, that child shall be my
care. But from this hour will see my
fathers fac5 no more. I forgive him
the wrong he has done me, but can
never willingly behold his face. As to
my step-mother and her daughter, as
your wife, I forbid their presence for an
instant under this roof"
"YouI wishes shall be the law of my
house." returned her husband; "fear
not, you shall be implicitly obeyed.
Goodnight" and without shaking
hands with her, or even looking at her,
Caleb Walker left his young wife alone,
and descended the stairs.
The following day she met him with
a cheerful countenRnce; and few days
later his daughter, an interesting child
about four years old, was brought
home. Ruth was naturally a very af
fectionate woman. Estranged from her
....-,.Ns,.r,- 4 4
ton they had practiced upon her, she
needed au object upon which to lavish
her tenderness, and soon found it in
little Effie, who became plssionately
fond of her.
Time flew by, and Caleb Walker kept
his word strictly with his beautiful
wife. He did more he was incessant
in his endeavors to render her happy.
Two years passed away, with scarcely
any change in his domestic relations,
except perhaps that Ruth was more
confidential with him, and ut times
evinced more Tenderness towards him
than she had hitherto done. Effie was
her darling, and she appeared to love
the child with so strong and passionate
an attachment, that MIR. Walker often
marveled at it.
One day, early in spring, Caleb Wal.
ker informed Ruth that he had taken a
country house for the summer. This
was welc 0me news to Ruth, and she be-
gan to prepare for their removal. Three
weeks later, they were comfortably in
stalled in their country residence. 1t
was q moderately-sized farm house, hav-
ing an abundance of shade trees and
fruit surrounding it, and Ruth began to
busy herself among the plants and flow
ers as soon as the weather permitted.
The place was near enough to the city
to allow Caleb Walker to make daily
visits thereto, If he had occasion to do
so.
1t was in the month of July, the
weather was intensely warm, when one
morning Caleb Walker set out for the
city, to be absent all day. Late in the
afternoon Ruth took Effie bv the hand
and wandered into the adjacent wood to
seek for some roots she desired. So in
tent was she upon the object of her
se arch, that she did not observe the
heavens growing overcast until the storm
was 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.
She was yet a half-mile distant when
/ the storm burst upon them with all its
! Jury. ana Lll6 fhlUs AtcCCnAAhB III NNA
| rents. drenched her and the child to the
/ skin. She had passed beyond all shell
/ ter, and could find no place nearer than
/ her home where she could gain a refuge.
/ 1t therefore became matter OF sheer
necessity TO go forward. When she ar
rived at her house, as might have been
expected, she was in a very exhausted
| condition but Efie did not seem to be
much the worse for the accident, save
/ her wet clothing. The first thing Mrs.
/ Walker did was to attend to the child,
/ and it was not until her step-daughteI
| had her clothing changed, that Ruth
/ pulled off her drenched garments.
The following morning Ruth was sc
| i'll that she could not leave her bed, aud
| her husband Immediately summoned g
physician. Two or three days more
and Ruth lay PROSTATE in bed with ~
phoid fever.
Days and nights Caleb Walker sat by
/ the bedside of his wife, who lay uncon
/ scious, her mind wandering, and rag
! ing fever raclNing her frame. He would
not be satisfied with the attentions o.
her nurses, but watched every move
ment she made. For a long time 1t wal
doubtful whether she woulC recover
But at last the disease took favorable
turn, and she gradually began to mend
But what a wreck she presented, wheI
contrasted with her former self he
first inquiries were for Effie, and whel
the child was brought to her she hugge'
her passionately TO her emaciated form
During the progress of her recovery
she was one day lying on a couch be
side her husband, who had been read
ing to amuse her. Effie was seat nea
and prattling great deal. Mr.. Wake
laid down his book and gazed at hi
wife. Efie began to talk again.