The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-08-05
IN A TUNNEL.

~
"That will do nicely" said Ruth
Mayhem, receiving her last package
through the car window from Mr.. Per
kins on the platform.
"Write us how you get along, Ruth.
If your aunt can spare you a spell this
summer we'd be glad to see you hum
agin. Oh, my | here's Miss Curtin with
a bunch of posies from her gardin.
Hurry ! hurry you'll be late, sure's the
world, Miss Curtin"
Thus spoke the group at the depot in
shril chorus as the locomotive, every
plate FURNISHED and dazzling, which had
simmered quietly for some minutes,
started, imparting a jerking wrench to
the cars, and then the long snake of a
train gliG ed smoothly away.
"She takes it first rate" commented
Mr.. Perkins, wiping his brow with a red
bandana handkerchief.
Then he climbed into his rusty carry
all, drawn by a meek white horse; the
others returned along the village street
to resume their usual avocations, and the
event of the day was over.
Ruth Mayhem had departed from the
home of her youth, and the place would
know her no more forever.
The struggle had been a hard one, but
she bore it well as Mr.. Perkins averred.
She did not look at once at the white
house on the hill, where death had
robbed her of parents and shelter, be-
cause even her fortitude could not be
trusted to witness the Smalls moving in.
What was before herr Life with Aunt
Harriet in a close sick-chamber, slave of
an invalid's caprices and grateful for
daily bread. Oh, the long, dreary
years, with nothing but old age in adj
vance,
She took a small pocket mirror from
her bag, and gazed pensively into its
depths. The reflected image was by no
means unattractive. She was not as she
had once been, yet her features were
good, her complexion fresh, her eyes
clear, and her physique robust. More
over, she was carefully and becomingly
attired, and her chignon wa of the latest
style. Nevertheless, a sigh welled up
from her heart when she gazed in the
glass, not altogether In unreasonable dis
satisfaction with her present appearance;
still the past had had disappointments,
and the future with Aunt Harriet was
without promise. Away back in the Wis
ia of summers she beheld herself a fam
ciful girl, building cloud-castles out of
the sunset glories. One spring-time
was brighter and fairer than the others :
around it still bloomed flowers of regret
full memories, blossoms without earthly
semblance in the cold, bleak climate
where Ruth lived, because sprung from
the richest sources of humanity.
A brave young missionary had urged a
needless girl to go with him to tho hot
countries among the heather, and the
girl, to whom the world seemed a vast
treasure-house lavish of gifts, had fouted
her young missionary, and he had silent
ly departed without complaint, to return
no more. Then Ruth had shed tears in
secret, bitterly remorseful tears, and
turned her back capriciously on the we'll
TODD farmers of her acquaintance.
SCOT a cinder in yer eyer" inquired
a sharp voice in our travellers ear.
The latter awoke from her reverie with
a start, and turnedto her questioner with
a guilty blush suffusing her cheek. She,
Ruth Mayhem, of middle age, caught
looking in the glassl Her interlocutol
was a brisk, bright little old lady in 6
faded shawl and an antiquated bonnet OF
the coal-scuttle pattern. She carried OIL
her arm a black silk bag which seemed tc
contain unlimited stores of snuff AM
peppermint drops. Encircling her with.
cred throat was a necklace of beautiful
gold beads delicately wrought. These
beads, an heirloom in her family,
descending to her through long genera
tions, had been worn by her since early
youth, andso much of superstition wasas
sociated In the mind of the possessol
with such relics, that the old lady would
have dreaded immediate misfortune hat
she lost them. Such was her child-lik,
faith in her fellow-creatures that sh,
never dreamed of parting with he
treasures.
"I a get it out quick as a wink
child" she continued, eagerly, settlin,
her spectacles, and spreading out a sof
silk handkerchief, with the intention O
applying it to Ruth's eye.
"No, thank you. 1t is nothing, salt
Ruth, hastily popping the glass back t.
its hiding place.
Thus foiled, the old lady relapsed int
silence, although she could not remain
quiet long. She jerked her head abou
quickly to observe different objects witt
sparrow-ike motion, and becoming alb
sorbingly interested in Ruth, she peere,
at the trimmings, ever testing the quail
ty of a ribbon futively with a critica
fore-fngsr and thumb. Age hadchisele,
wrinkles, innumerable fine lines, in tn
intelligent face, had whitened the scant
hair, and robbed the sunken mouth @
teeth, yet the vital forces seemed unim
paired. She was like a queer little gra
bird hopping along to peck a crumb @
information everywhere.
81 wonder who she is and where she
goin'2" pondered the old lady, her bus
brain having unsuccessfully twisted Rut
around the whirlingwheel of minute IL
vestigation. Then she bobbed abruptly
and skipped into the seat beside the OF
ject of her interest with an apologize
"Guess I'll change my place, if 20
don't mind, and get out of the draugl
from that winder. Old folks have to b
kinder keerful about draughts."
Hiss Mayhem grNeiously asSented, an