Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-03

} rudely, L am acting for others and not fol
myself; you'd better spend your time in
: getting together, the interest you owe.
can't interfere. Bring me the money, OF
The law must take its course
When Mrs. Hunter heard the result OF
this interview, aud when afterward the
formal notice was served, she moaned fee
bly, and turned her face to the wall. we
shall have to beg, or go to the poOr-house,
or die Oh the road,' she said. oh that
| should ever have lived to see this day.
Ruth, herself was at the end of her re-
sources. For awhile, she lay PROSTATE on
the bed, where she had flung herself beside
her mother, the two mingling their tears.
But the brave girl rallied at last. She re-
membered that there was nothing in the
house to eat, and that she had no money
to buy anything with. At first, she
thought of going to the store and begging
for little more credit but when she re-
called how curly this had been refused,
only week before, she abandoned the idea
in despair.
Suddenly it flashed upon her that the
wheat was being cut on the great Gresham
farms. In the old Squire's time, the poor
had been allowed to come with sickle and
cut what they wished it was Scriptural
custom, which the Greshams had main
tanned from father TO son, for generations.
The old Squire was dead, but Ruth had no
doubt that the privilege would still be ac-
corded, and looping up under her skirt, to
look as much like one of her rustic neigh
bors as possible, she took sickle, and went
forth like her namesake Of old.
Her heart did not begin to fail her until
just before she reached the harvest-feld,
when she remembered that the heirs of the
old Squire, whoever they were, were said
to be abroad, and that lawyer Dent was
their agent. New men, new measures
she said, and stopped at the gate, with
beating heart. What if | am driven off,
But the thought of her sick mother, and of
the empty cupbard, made her desperate,
! She lifted the latch and went in.
+ The reapers were sweeping on ahead, in
4 long, graceful line others, far behind,
were binding up sheaves and an overseer,
/ or what seemed one, was on horseback, di-
recting operations. Ruth began in cor
ner, near the gate, far away from the rest.
She looked furtively, now and then, toward
the overseer, and seeing that he had MOTTO
ed her, yet did not interfere, she gathered
courage. If she could have seen herself
| then, in a mirror, though the least vain of
her sex, she would have been startled by
her own beauty. Excitement had given a
! bright glow to her cheeks and an even in
creased bril!iancy to her eyes. Her half
! rustic attire, course as it was, was admira-
bly, adapted to set of her fine figure her
white arms shone dazzlingly 4; every move
ment was grace.
Suddenly harsh voice behind cried,
None of that. Throw down your sickle
Well have no thieves here.'
Ruth dropped her sickle, trembling all
over. and looked around. Lawyer Dent
whip was raised menacingly. Ruth shrank
back her knees gave way under her ; the
harvest field swan around her; she grew
blind she thought she was dying. She
had but one feeling, one thought, the man
was about to strike her. Oh d! the degra-
datiOn of it, worse even than his words of
| insult
But she did not faint. Just as every
thing whirled dizzily around her, just as
she was losing consciousness, the quick
thud of 4 horse was heard galloping over
the stubles, and 4 stern voice addressed
lawyer Dent.
What are you saying to this girl p it
cried, angrily. Not telling her to go
away! How dare you ? Didn't you know
my uncle always allowed this ay and the
Greshams from time immemorial ? Thank
God we have never ground the faces of the
poor. l saw you raise your whip threat
ingly, if I'm not mistaken. BY Jove 4! if
you were not an older man than myself, I'd
thrash you within an inch Of your life.'
All of sudden, the angry voice ceased,
and the speaker, turning to Ruth, address
ed her in tones as soft as woman's.
My poor Child it said, don't mind
Dent, am master here. Take up your
sickle and cut as much wheat
He stopped suddenly. Ruth, up to this
point, had stood, with bowed figure, halt
unconscious, her gaze bent, in shame, on
the ground but TOUCHED BY these kind
words, and even more by the tone, she
lifted her eyes, full of tears, and gazed at
the speaker.
In that look there was something that
both thrilled and abashed the beholder.
Young Gresham, for such was the horse
man, was one of the handsOmest men OF
his day, and he was accustomed to admira-
ton; but Ruth's glance seemed to say,
Surely You are more than human; you
are some knight of chivalry, come to rescue
me from foul enchanter.' 1t was this
that thrilled him with a strange, wild feel
ing Of happiness, such as no woman's
glance had ever before awakened. But on
the other hand, instead of finding himself
in the presence of a village rustic, as he
had expected, and as the dress led him till
this very moment to believe, he beheld, to
his amazement, face not only of rare
beauty, but one instinct with that inherited,
as well as acquired refinement, which, for
want Of better word, is called high bred.
This, he saw at once, was no mere village
girl, but IL young princess in disguise.
And he had offered such one aims He
had spoken of her as if she was menial
His usual ease of manner failed him. He
sat there, dumb, as if himself the culprit.
Ruth broke the spell.
oh, sir y she cried, with sob, clasping
her hands and looking up at him imploring-
ly. Il meant no harm. fused to see other
people do what l did. And-and-we