Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-05-22

coquetted among the girls general
when Ruth gas ont of sight. The
was a young lady visiting the Sprinl
Z from Chicago. She was a brigh
sparkling brunette, sad distribute
her smiles promiscaoasly among Il
gentlemen. She liked Gerald RIPPLE
perhaps more than the rest. He wa
more a Ia her style, and we kno
birds of a feather will flock together.
She sought to captivate him; he beip
not 10th to take the hint, they wer
reyelling in the mazes of a genuin
Irritation. Ruth, ofcourse, knew moth
ing Of it. Blinded as she was, she con
sidered her betrothed a paragon 0
honor. So implicit was her coufdenc
In him that she associated no though
of falsity. or deceit with his name
His exceliencies we're paramount to al
others she had ever seen. Trustin
woman, we pity your mistake. Wills
We scorn his duplieity.
One evening Ruth aud dWillisstrollet
out to the woods for an evening walk
Tall, golden poplars raised their brigh
heads heavenward. as glittering spire:
pointing to the throne of God. The
crimson maple dotted the forest with
brightness, and paved their way with
scarlet leaves. A group of blackbirds
little way off treated them to a full
chorus of their deafening songs. They
went on unconscious of the distance
until arrested by the sound of voices
Each stopped quickly, not wishing to
intrude. sg rp yif fs i.zasf SIM
You cannotdeceive me, Mr.. Ripley,
have been warned too frequently of
you, said sweet, silvery voice, and
they instantly recognized Miss Haw-
ley, the brunette from Chicago. s
"Oh," he replied quickly, you have
been misinformed. I am no. the de-
ceiver you imagine me. You possess
my earnest admiratioa-nay, my love,
you little charmer." J" "i
A light laugh rippled from her lips
as she replied, What do you suppose
Miss Clifford would think, could she
hear this precious declaration?"
Think" he reiterated, "she has no
right to any opinion about it. Why
do you mention her?" isoI ssa-
Because l thought she owned pre-
vious claims" :"
LET me relieve you of such errone-
Gus impressions. We are friends, it is
true, but we will never be more"
Willis drew her companion forcibIy
from the spot, and they hurried back
to the hotel. She bore it wonderfully.
Willis had expected her to faint and
fall senseless under the stunning blow,
but she did neither. There settled
upon the beautiful features the ashen
hue of death, and the coral lips palea,
and writhed with agony. but reason
loyalty kept her throne. She kissed
the rod that smote her uncomplaining-
ly, saw the dark star arise on fate's
horizon that doomed her to a sunless
destiny, without shudder. The in-
dulged darling awoke from her en-
ehanted dream, aud found herself the
victim of q degrading fraud. She re-
allied now that her friends were right,
and that her betrothed husband was
as far beneath her as the grovelling
worms of earth are beneath the bright,
glittering Jupiter Her eyes were dis
aanointed, and she saw clearly.
As Gerald Ripley lounged into the
parlor that evening, little note was
handed him. He opened it. and read
With amusement F9
"MR RIPLEY viii you be so kind
as to meet me in the back parlor to-
night at 8 O. clock, and oblige,
' RUTH CLIFFORD"
What could it moanP Could Miss
Hawley have possibly betrayed him?
He tore the note into fragments, and
hastily left the parlor. His thoughts
were very bitter. He had loved Ruth
Clifford more than any woman ho had
ever seen, loved her as much as his
callous, indifferent heart was capable
of loving, and he saw clearly that she
had by some means become acquainted
with his conversation in the woods
and was that night in the back parlor
to bid him a final adieu. He could not
bear the thoughts of giving her up. In
Imagination he had settled himself co.
silly In Ruth's fortune, and now that
was about to fade from him, as his boy.
ish dreams had done in the ''long ago.
"All this, he muttered to himself
is the result of silly. unmeaning fir,
tation. / wonder if | cannot convince
Ruth that it was nothing more, and
wonder if she has sold the governor
The devil! l am always getting into
some such scrape. | wish Hawley anG
her immense black eyes were back il
Chicago, or in hi, | don't car,
which"
He was interrupted by gentleman
who came famillarly up, and tappeC
him on the shoulder, saying, "solilo
quizing, Gerald? Ifso. stop immedi
ately, and come with me. We onl!
lack one on the croquet ground
Come. Drawing Gerald S arm through
his own, they sauntered leisurely away
That night he was in the parlor some
time before, 9 O'clock. He had mad'
careful toilet for the contest, III,
essayed to work upon her admiration
| I trow to regain his position. veril.
lelieve the lords Of creation" thial
they could win the most lovable womal
in the world by gold headed cane,
blue eravat and number four boot
B hI ct them try 1t. 1t may succeeC
admirably with some nonsensical min
ny, but an intelligent woman vii
seek something more than mere sur
face charms, He was attired in FIJI
suit of black WHICH displayed TO al
oavo,tooa bis 1.-THE fiOure His line