The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-12-20
Select Story.
RUTH DEANS VISIT.

BY SOPHIA EMERY.

In Bosfon Troreier
In this world it is not best 10 think too
much of pleasant pussibles, that we may
not be out of humor with present inspids
yet, despite mis- Iamb'ke maxim, if ever one
planned ecor onized. making old gowns last
twice ,heir usual span, that she night have
one long cool holiday, in new gowns and
free from care, it was Ruth Dean, the cheer
, lest of beings with the whtest and brown.
eat hair that ever adorned mortal woman
near her fortieth birthday--au age when
,, many of her sisters have lost youth health
: and eomelness, ard begin to have dim
cons iousness that they ought to have died
/ when they were young and tolerable.
When Ruth first planned this visit to her
g relatives away among Maine hills, she was
living in large Western city, with ne'er
do-well husband, and a graceless young
nephew, upon whom she lavshed all the
, pent-up motherhood that sl~ had never
{ been called to ev nd uron children OF her
: own
C Why Ruth, the faircst and most lovable
c of the five Wortbing girls, should have
c bound herself iortuitously, or otherwise, to
c such bundle of obstinacv and ,ncanaritv
C as John Dean. while all of her nIain ordi.
nary minded sisters married capable, enter
g prising men, is a question for phiosopn ne.
9 and biolopists.
{ Keturah Ann Bowers an orgular d,,y,
0 East woman. living with Mrs Lang Rptb,s
c near neighbor in the conacitv of unnaid
= philosopher and maid nnrse guiltless of
Darwinian theories in regard to natural se.
c lection. and having ro.itive ideas of her
9 own about matters in general. knowpd, 70
, use her exrrcs, i've In. gnaoe. "a. ,ycn rs she
, wanted to. les, VIII, I'm. :, c,thin, ..r,.,.d
c herself away n,,triI' mat .bifir,. J,bn
3 Dran.'
: If anybody knows Ruth an all her fami
2 ly an all their ways, it'~ me- Keurah was
trotting quite gently for her lap aud said
! this in answer to some question OF Mrs
: Lane in regard to Mrs Dean.
You see, | lived with Deacon Worthin's
: folks, off an on, most Of the time after was
: fourteen. When l went there Ruth an
: Robert-they was both twins-was jest little
; tots in pinaiores. Miss WOrthn's other chill
, dren were a sight older an Ruth an Robert
growed up all to theiisoyes like; for the
: older ones married and Went away afore the
2 twins was ten years old. Sich happy critters
! as them two twins a playin, or plannin,
: a studyin' or workin' they was alwus to-
6 gether. Robert WAS master smart about
c larnin', an Ruth wasn't bit hind him, eff
c she was womar kind. The Deacon kalker
lated to send him to college, an Robert
c took to studyin' Greek an Latin an SIGH,
c an Ruth KEEP right along with him, an
guess she helped him morn he did her.
But this college notion didn't last long;
he got in desperit way to go to sea. The
Deacon thought he might go just once, to
C sicken him of such life. 1t didn't, though
c an he KEEP on goiu', as boys mostly do down
c on the coast OF Maine-its born in 'em.
c When Ruth was nigh twenty year old,
g Miss Worthin' took stroke an went of
' suddenly. The Deacon never got over this
c blow, an next year, when the laylocks was
S1 a-blpwin' we laid him side of his mother,
as he always called her. They was all the
&c father On mother ever knowed,
c To hide touch of feeling in her voice
'c Keturah Ann gave the baby's clothes a Wig.
C orous pull downwards, observing in her us,,.
'Gc al stridulous tone:
'o The masteriulest baby to be alwus {
lo hunchn' up its clothes ever see.'
nc Where was Robert when his parents
died?' asked Mrs, Lane.
09c 4 was going to sav he was off on a lont
trip an came home a few months afterwards
lc What should he br,u.. with him though bu
&c a queer kind OF II turrin wife, A German
Dc that he took off wreck with other poo
lc half.staryed critters. How on airth the,
&c contrlyed to get ACQUAINTED an fall in low,
lc with one mother, il beat, me for when sh,
lc comes to Us she couldn't soeak scurse y wor,
except nine that | could make ont. an
Nc that she put in SIGH o,srected nIsces tlst
lle used TO la,pb wh M 7 ongbtp,t..ha noo
lc furrner an all her family drovned
ic 'But as soon as Rutb act eves on this Rer
lc tha Rubinsteip, she took to her an, all he
&c outlandish wavs as ef she'd heep a bor,
&c sister,
55SS But suggested Mrs. Lane. Il though
II. YOU were To tell me how Ruth hannened I,
,e marry John Dean She had mn he.n n,
Nc lover M to tbi. ,in,e9 %
,,cc sSalos so,iu,,.t...uo % ,.,
&c ,,as Thh. u..'.,,|.,N ' 80 Wv ~,
ie ne,ar cot sinht -, L,t ,t,,1 a,aa -
'e Ia,cn H. bis c,oo -, ..a. ,L,, -,
son with q soit .no, in his b,ad .amas, boro
for he writ poems and ,hi,g. for tho nan.r
DC -heIieve ba cana ~ ha tho ediror af,a,,,,,I