Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-05-30

Hou may alter your opinion" re
piled Mrs. Mcllwain. "It is to youl
father }oa lnHst cay that"
viii you not appeal tc him for me?
sobhed Ruth.
"No, . replied her step.mother sternlv,
as she went ont of the room.
Several days elapsed without Ruth
seeing either her father or Mr.. Walker,
when one bright morhing, as sue was
reclining upon her bed, her father ca
tered the chamber, and commanded her
TO prepira herself instantly to marry
Caleb Walker.
" All is prepared" he said harshly ;
get up instantly aud dress yourself.
Let me hear no murmur."
At that moment couDle of servants
entered the apartment, bearing num-
Der OF hoses, whilst Mr.. McIlwain
placed a magnificent necklace of pearls
upon the dressing. case.
There" said he, "is a present from
your future husband"
Hali ctppefed, Ruth attempted to
demonstrate.
"Don't speak" qaia her father !;
marry Caleb Walker or leave my
house"
BE turned on his heel as he spoke,
and Quilted his daughters presence.
OSerwhelmed.gilh grief and despair,
the unhappy girl could not maintain
the resolution she expected to command
III the moment of her need. Passively
submitting to the fate that had over
taken her, she #ss docile under the
hands of the waiting maids, who began
TO array her for the bridal.
During the performance of the cere-
mony She appeared more dead than
alive, and it vas iikely when Walker
saluted her as his bride, that she started
as if from a dream. They proceeded
direct from the church to the house Of
the bridegroom. where a splendid din
ner awaited them Faith desired to be
conducted to her chamber, nnd locking
herself in, left Caleb Walker TO enter
tain the bridal party rs best he could
In win did her step.mother and sister
solicit admission. She refused to suffer
them to come into her presence, Snd-
den indisposition served as pr6iczt for
bor leaving the company, and her hus-
band had presence of mind enough to
put Che best face upon the matter.
When the guestr he'd departed, Caleb
Walker ascended the stairs with slow
step and thoughtful mien, and tapped
at his Uife's door.
" Let me iD,' he said in low tone.
81 havo something snY to you that
will not displease tov."
Ruth opered the door, hut averted
her eyes, Her husband OWNED what
was passing through her mind. Seating
himself near her, be spoke in the tore
of a man whose soul Is penetrated with
sorrow.
"Do not make yourself unhappy"
he said. Hear me patiently. If [
tell you that / repent having married
YOU, YOU will not perhaps believe me
vet it is true. ! was made to believe
by your father ard stet.mothcr, that
yonr affections were disengaged, and
that you had no aversion to me-that
you would dispense with those atten-
tions customary from lover to his
-
our ages, and my Consciousness that
nature had dealt hardly with me, ren.
dered me ayerse 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 soiemnlv to live with you
only as a brother, until y0u cnn 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 F.
to him.
81 accept your offer" she said.
"and thank you for your generosity: : l
will try and repay yyur kindness. You
have a daughter, that child shall be my |
care. But from this hour [ will see my
fathers fac no more. | 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"
"Your wishes shall be the law of my |
house." returned her husband "fear
not, you shall be implicitly obeved. !
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 countenance; and few days |
later his daughter, an interesting child |
about four years old, was brought |
home. Ruth was naturally very af- |
fectionate woman. Estranged from her
nearest connections by the base decep-
tion they hal practic d upon her, she
needed an object upon which to lavish
her tenderness, and soon found it in |
little EAie, who became passionatelv /.
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 at times
evinced more tenderness towards him
than she had hitherto done. Efie was
her darling, and she appeared to love |
the child with so strong and passionate
an attachment, that Mr.. Walker often
marveled at it.
Ono day, early in spring, Caleb Wal
ker informed Ruth that he had taken
country house for the summer. This |
was welc )me 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 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
ors as soon rs 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.
It 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