Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18

/
1 paint the paintings and soft mOaDs of TIE
\ parent dove fOndling her strickling nesting
and soothing IL.
/ cannot tell what tender story was whisp-
| cred in that rapt ear, but something 1t Ger
tstnly was which made mamma ruffis her
i plumage fiercely.
Hes a selfish, moon-struck brute" she
cried; al wish we had never seen himi" Aud
feeling OF resentment, akin TO hatred.
! against that poor; harmless Robin began to
4 stir in the maternal bosom.
! When APPEARED in Grammercy park, that
/ evening. % course the hawk hal flown, and
In perfect keeping with his tireSome needles
| ness, neglecting to leave his address.
| Somewhere in New England" said Aunt
| Tyrrell, pecvishly, and vague reminisc 9nces
or The college catalogue helped me 10 place
| BOb's home toward the far north.
| "ATd what do you think of my friend
! Robin? Isn't he q rare piece of rural hon
| esty!' were my next questions; ami here the
| acute female intellect might have drawn
| shrCwd conclusions from my auut's cautious,
| cynical replies, and perhaps connected them
| with Miss Clala's iistless, abstractei air.
| Bat the reader doubtless understands that
| the scenes and incidents heretofore recorded,
aS We'll as others 10 be presently set forth
were male known to the writer at period
| considerably sUhseq Ient To their actua. Oc-
| clIrthc'. DtheEwi-e ne would have be
| thought him this juDcture To cam m mi
cafe q liStie CircUinStBEce Cilcuia'ei 20 dis
/ pei with magic cOgcucy the worst symp tO,ns
I o. q certain dIstesnper, aud cause The ntuj
.! q Weil-TeGUi ca young woman ID recover
instantly It's normal tone. / mean thu cir
cumstau OF M Y rieDd's engagement. which
l might, without much difficulty, have re
suScitated from my memory (the idiot hat
engaged himself before he left Off jIcGets)
and even drawn q tOlerable likeness of q
rosy CHECKED busting lass, who, on clas5-
DAY, danced with ardor upon The college
green, ana betrayed q lively interest and
sense Of TroYrietorship in Master Bob's con-
Germs.
While was Illuminating on Aunt TyrreIl's
eqUiVocal CtmeaEOr, and my kinsWomen, by
sheer want OF confidence, lost the comfort
and healing virtues of q timely word, Mr.
Lyon was rapidly nearing the natal village,
which proved to be-as / guessed-in New
Hampshire, and was, in fact, no other than
the township Of Conway, In the county of
reached the quiet station which lay nearest
the farm, aud, leaving his traps on the secure
platform, set out cheerily 10 walk nome.
How well he knew the road! There was
the red schCOl-hOuse, and the Baptist church,
and the cl imp of naples at the Four corners.
That was the SacO humming on his left.
threading the meadows, and feeding the pool
above Squire Aliens mill; and here were
sheep on the upland-Ruth's sheep, perhaps
asleep in the dry June weather. West and
north rose familiar hills, clothed 10 the peak
with pines and hemlocks, kueeIing, it
seemed, before the mountain lords that
reared above them their bare heads, gaunt
and weird enough in the moonlight, anil his
somewhere IN their shallow the wonders Of
the haunte Notch.
He spied the CLEAN of candle-in the
Keeping roo n, no dOuht-as he swung open q
little gate and strobe up the graveled walk
hanked with sunfiowers and hOllyhOckS.
THAT is Ruth darning and mending-faith-
ful sOul!' he thought, letting the clapperf4ll
against the door and Ruth, indeed, it was,
who trotted forward in great amaze, thrust
BACK bolt nervously, stare a second doubt
fully into his eyes, then caught him in a
warm embrace.
"Is it you, Bob-really your" cried the
eager girl: "Come TO the light-let me see
your face! She led him TO the low-ceiled
room, where all looked spruce and prfm and
neat as wax. "Why, how, you've grown"
she said, scanning her cousin with atmiring
eyes. you've got beard, tOO-a great
brown beard. Is it the fashion, Bob, in for
eign parts? What haven't you seen and
done! And is il true, Bob-do they give you
heaps of money for bits of canvas like that
you sent us from France? How much now?-
conc"
How are you all?' said bewildered Robin.
"Little-why she's woman, Bob! Where
is she?-Nellie!' And excited Ruth ran into
he Passa ge to bid her sister dress quickly,
and come down speedily, and welcome some
sOdy who had come home 10 his friends at
last.
And then modest Robin was again IN
spected and 1larveiiel over and catechi sell,
and presently N bounced Nellie-a game
some, SpTi Chilly laSSie-and flung two plump
arms about his neck; AMI Ruth made tea,
ana woke Up Reuben the hind (hired help she
called hlm) and dispatched him 10 fetch the
Pre6t mans luggage, and Nellie filled Bob's
pipe, AMI gave him currant-wine, ami alto
geJheT there was joy AMI festiVity, that
night, n The Lyon GOinestred.
Nobody could help liking Ruth Lyon who
marked the kind, firm mouth and honest
eyes, or watched her earnest, matronly ways.
y little too brisk, too careful aud practical,
you may think, with scarce sentiment or
leisure enough toplay the role OF sweetheart,
but no such doubt or cavil occurred TO those
who, like Cousin Bob, knew the story OF her
loyal life.
lie ran it all over. lying awake by and By
IN tie best bedroom, anu noting the bright
woodwork, spotleSs curtains, quilted cover
let and other vouchers of Ruth's hOuSeWifery.
lie remembered his introduction to the farm,
when his father, the genius Of the family
poor, lGckleSS, abOrtive, rustic genius, we
have all seen sueh-succumbing finally 70
strong drink and disappointment, left no
thing behind him but fTetful wife and
sturdy boy. He could see his uncle-plain,
overworked, kindly man-tending the widow
while she lasted, patient always of her pee
wish plants, pinching his girls to buy Bob
books, and putting the lad TO Exeter school
(ior the son OF q genius must have advan-
tagesl, and at last throwing up in his turn
the hard task OF living Aud then Ruth, a
mere girl not Il yet, with big, barren farm
ill-stOcked and mOrtgaged, and little sister
on her hands. taking up the burden quietly
and s1ngly Bob should never fOregO his col
lege and the chance OF a fair career), and
wTinging from those reluctant acres indie
pendence and comfort, and even profit. Was
IL not fine, brave thing, he thought, and
could heart of man wish more generous COM
rade. or helpmate more efficient AMI true?
And Cousin Ruth had waited for him all
those years, and now he was come homo 10
marry her. They would be married at once.
That, at least, was certain in an uncertain
wOrld-hXed and certain as that he wOull
finish Miss TyrTells picture and forward IL,
as per contract, within a week.
dare say IL iucOmnOded Ruth to sacrifice
her capaciOus stOre-ro WHICH, happening
toopen from BOb's bed-chami and 10 pos
sesS asky-light, was at once promoted 10 the
function OF ajelier; but she proCee ii cheer
fully To transfer her household stuff, slowing
it away in hooks and pigcon-hOles, merely
cTay ing permission 10 leave some strings OF
dried-apples which depended from the rafters.
she could not find Il IL heT heart, however,
To rebuke the kitchen-maid, who beWailei
Justify the cOnfscation of her clothes-horse
so she termed a drying frame), aaj probably
Ruth condemned ia secret the p-ryeT-iOn OF
that machine - art purposes. But she
esteemed IL her plain duty To further Boo,
wishes, and iOrrstaii them II she could, 50
when be hai RI gged q .Olerable easel and got
fairly 10 Work. Ruth cujOined the utmost
quiet Oh her subjects, and StrOve TO compass
the deatu-llke silence which she pI eSumed
cODgen.ai 70 sCSthCtic toll.
II was snOck, therefore. 10 the we'll
meaning girl, when she stole in on tip-tOc 70
announce the midday meal, 10 find Nellie AT
BOb'> elbow. glggling ami prdttling right