Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-04-09

1 SICIV ClOCh III Vic wi uCi tuatO SNNllNN
preternaturally slow and deliberate
Mrs. Collins herself made a long and
meager shadow as she sat motionless
in her high backed chair by the win
dow. The easement was open, and
the fresh smells from the unusually
warm evening were coming in in lit
tie watts.
Somebody just tapped at the door
and without waiting for permission
lifted the latch. 1t was the man who
had passed Mrs. Frisbce on the read
His clothes were OF a homely farmer
like cut; there were struggling ends
of cotton handkerchief coming out
from under his chin, and his trowsei
legs were turned over his boots a
little. although the road was not dirty
His. wrists were large and projected
from his cuffs, his teeth were promi
nent, and the scanty hair was turning
white round his temples.
GLOW ia the old lady, David?" i'll
quired Mrs. Collins, rs her visitor
helped himself to chair in the dim
room.
He held his hat between his knees
and dropped his bandanna into ii
after he had mopped his forehead.
'Pretty much the same as she has
been since she got bed ridden. Her
minds been going gradually, but
there aint much pain about it, only
she takes queer notions and worries
IA sight. Something put it into her
head not to let Polly Pratt wait on
her. l have to wash her face and
comb her hair, and feed her every
morscl she eats, with a spoon. My
hands are clumsy, all thumbs, you
know; but she likes to have me do it;
and some days she frets so Polly has
to come down to the lots two or three
times to get me to go up and pacify
her"
| s'Polly is a smart woman," said
Mrs. Collins, musingly.
'Yes," responded David; ''she's as
neat as wax, and the best butter and
cheese maker anywhere"
The widow paused little. ''Fve
thought" said she at length, ''that
you would marry Polly one of these
days. The old lady can't last long.
She may 60 off sudden like, most
any time, and then you couldn't hire
Polly as you do now; folks would
talk. You are getting along in years.
David; and Polly amt handsome,
and she's got sharp tongue OF her
own; but she'd make you good
wife. l don't say she's the one you'd
have picked out once"
A sudden heat must have flushed
over David's forehead, for he took
his handkerchief and wiped 1t rather
vigorously. 81 did not expect this
from you Mrs. Collins" said he. Il
shouldn't have minded so much if it
had come from some folks, but l
thought you understood just how the
case stands. There are men that can
take up first one woman and then an
other, and it's all the same to them,
but there never was but just one wo-
man for me. l couldn't see anybody
else when Ruth was round, and the
recollection of her, with her eyes
shining, and her curls floating out,
has never let me look at another these
long years. | was fool, clumsy
and awkward, always suffering and
turning red when l came where she
was. She gave me many scorntul
word, but l did her no harm. Moth
er made me think I could get her.
She said she knew what girls were.
She was high strung, always preach
ing that l was good enough for any
body, and she and the old squire
made it up together. You know how
the farms joined; and that night
Ru,h SAID she would have me she
looked Us white rs sheet, but |
didn't notice it then, for | was kind
of drunk with happiness, but l knew
how it was when she went away
She could no more care for old Dave
than the little innocent-faced violet
down in the lot, could care for the
stump it grows beside. 1t was wicked
to make her say she could. But
things might be changed little now.
She might not mind my awkwardness
so much, in case she should ever need
friend. When the minister down
there at the village thought he had Il
call to preach against Ruth, and hold
her up as an example, it seemed as
though little wind that blows in Il
warm day, or bit of a robins song
was going round the world, and whis-
pering, Ruth, Dave don't blame you.
There's been tribulation for us both.
Pm an obstinate man; slow men are
apt to be; that's the reason couldn't
give Ruth up; and l guess it's kept
me from growing like a clod my plow
turns over on the side hill
"You talk as if nobody else but
you ever thought of Ruth,'' said the
old woman, querulously. 81 guess
| bore her, and carried her in my
arms, and took pride in her pretty
looks and smart ways. She's made
me trouble enough, the mercy knows.
1t wasn't easy to live with the squire
and Ruth's going away had to come
on somebody, and it come Oh me-
Don't you suppose I've laid awake
nights thinking about her, and the
neighbors all saying she had took to
bad ways? There wasn't nothing l
could do, was there?. Ibid send her
money twice, and if the old man had
found it out he'd have turned me out
doors. Here 1 am living all stark
alone, as if there wasn't one of my
name alive. Folks may think Pm
hard not to try, and win her back,
now, but there is the will made all in
black and white, SO that if l harbor
Ruth shall forfeit the old homestead.
The boys are comfortably settled on
farms Of their own. There set a
gainst Ruth. It's the old man right
over again. They would break the
will if they could; and | tell you
David, I'd rather beg than go and
live with the wife of any son Pye got.
Love Ruth, l guess l do. | have
| ~ I n>,,1J .rl,I1,, ,aa hnv in Il ~