Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-10-25

The next day | went on spinning same
as ever. and Ruth did the housework. Mr..
Windham didn't come near the house that
day. nor the next, nor the next; but father
went TO the village to mill on Saturday.
and when he came back he brought Ruth
q letter. She came up stairs with 1t in her
hand. Ny spinning-wheel stood In the
big room at the head ofthe stairs, aud our
bedroom opened of that room. Ruth
went into the bedroom and shut the door.
kept on spinning. but In a few minutes
heard quite loud noise In the room where
Ruth was. | opened the door and went
right In, and ! never was so scared in all
the days Of my life. Ruth was laying all
In heap on the floor.
Ruth, Ruth, What Is it?- | called.
but she didn't answer. picked her right
up and put her on the bed Il was real
strong. and she was only a little thing.
but she never said word, and her face
was white as white could be.
never ran down stairs so quick as | did
then. for | knew she had tainted and got
the big campfire bottle and wet her fore
head, and held Ii to her nose, and pretty
soon she opened her eyes.
The first words she said. were:-
My letter.
/ looked around. and there II was on the
floor. picked it up and gave It to her.
She took II In her hand and held II very
tight.
DO you feel better. Ruth p asked?
She didn't answer me, and | kept on
smoothing back her hair all OF sudden she
put the letter right into my hsnd.
Read It," said she.
It's most thirty years since | read that
letter, but remember every word "a well
IS II had just read IL.
II was written the day after he was a,
our house. and this Il what Il read
Miss OLIVER: find that made n gres,
mistake when I was with you yesterday.
regret Il very much. Pray forget all
said, ard believe me, your friend.
CHARLES WISpH.M.
Whist does II mean, RUTH | asked.
Rnth's lips were as white as her face,
aud her eyes-oh, how dark they looked.
when she answered me,
1T means that in less than twenty four
hours after Mr.. Wmdhsm told me he loved
me. he found he had made a great mistake.
Poor little Rnth, Poor little fatherless
and mo,hcrless girl! There was such
lump In my throat that I couldn't speak,
and jus, held her hand and Kiss ed her.
By aud hy she said -
There Isn't any mistake about your love
for me. Priscilla"
NFltl tOHtbh bGAp u. WISH
sorry. neither for Ruth cried TOO: and Il
didn't seem half 30 dreadful to have her
cry. as Il did TO lay there 50 white aud
stiIl. We talked quite while. an1 Ruth
said, finally, tina, she hoped would never
mention Mr.. Windhams name again to
her. and never did.
don't think auv one but me noticed
much change in Ruth after that; but she
got very pale and thin. and was real anx-
lous about her. She was willing 10 do
ANYTHING She could for me, and was deter
mined TO help about the houseworA. 4
wouldn't let her though); bnt | never
heard her saying any little bits OF poetry 10
herself when she was at work
We had an early sugar season that
spring, and one day. In the middle OF sug-
sring father and John went off 10 the
woods and forgot the syrup strainers. Il
was Z bwsy time tor them. and Ruth sal :
she'd 60 for n walk md take the strainers
mp to the woods, and save Johns coming
down for them She told me all about
that walk aftrrward. when she came out
Of our sugar bush she met Amos going up
10 see John. aud he turned rupnd and
walked home with her. He asked her 10
marry him; Ruth cried when she was tell
ing me about Il. He didn't come To our
house Sundays any more-or any other
days either. unless he had business with
father or John.
Mr.. Windham called once In great
while. bu, Ruth always kept out Of sight
We used to hear fhis going TO see Deacon
Andrews daughter Selma, but didn't
take much stock in the story.
Some people called Selma beauty in
them days. but never could see 1t. Her
head was As red as Amos'-she was own
cousin TO Amos-and she had great black
eyes. Now think red hair and black eyes
don't 60 well together; but she had beau
tiiul compile xiou, only she had TO be dread
ful careful in the spring OF the year not to
get freckled. and her mouth was rather
large. She was short. but not slender like
Ruth.
One day In july was washing up the
breakfast dishes. and Ruth was in the but
terry making pies. when father came IN for
some water.
IL heard some news to-day, Priscilla" 4"
SAYS he.
Now father scarcely ever repeated any.
thing he heard. so was rather surprised.
What was it," asked.
Oar minister is going to be married to
Selma Andrews" said he.
who told you. fafher.'' saysI
bacon Flint" said father. promptly.
He says they are going to fix up the par
sonage; have 1t ready for the young couple
by the middle of September"
didn't say nothing more. and father
started of for the bayfield, with his jug of
water.
Pretty Soon Ruth came out OF the but
terry with a pie and put It In the oven.
When she went by me on her way back.
she said -
"IIe didn't make any mistake this time,
Priscilla
Ruth Oliver" says |, "he has made the
biggest mistake he ever made In his life
aud am glad Of it,"
| felt real wicked that morning when
that wedding day came around, the tei tn
Of September Il WAS. went to the church
and seen them n.a:;i,d. Selma made
pretty bride, but what a day 1t was, Cold
enough for the end OF November, and il
rained every minute from morning till
night. | was glad of that, too and glad to
see how Mr. Windham looked; not much
like bridegroom, can tell you.
After they got back from their wedding
trip to Boston, and were settled down in
the parsonage. there was considerable Wis
iting backwards and forwards In the par.
ish. Selma made good minister's wife.
as far as that was concerned. for she was
willing to be on the go the whole time, and
pcopIc tiht IL tut
duty OF Q minister's wife.
Ruth wouldn't go anywhere, scarcely.
that fall. She wasn't well. Que thing, and
she didn't want to go, another. She caught
cold early 10 the fall. AMI neglected IL. |
suppose, for the first knew she had real
hard cough-a cough that grew worse and
worse when cold weather came on. |
nursed her up as well as could. and we
had the doctor from Millbridge up to see
her. He didn't talk as IL there was much
the matter. and gave her some cough med
iciDe. and so on.
It's no use making long story of it
Ruth kept getting worse, and finally told
father that believed she was going just
as her mother did before her. Father said
that was some Of my notions, but could
see he was anxious enough about Ruth.
and the next week he sent over TO Fayette-
vile TO have old Doctor FentOn come and
see her. He told US that Ruth had the con-
sumption, and all we could do would be to
make her as comfortable as we could. He
said he did not think she would live great
while. but'she might linger along till warm