Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-11-13

at the deacon's Il sight; but | didn't cal
him n beau then, for him AMI Ruth wa
alwus a sparrin' and argyiyin' and neve
seemed TO agree about nothin'. They wa
the two oppositest bein's ever see-Rut
so quick and techy, and Dick as cool las
cucumber.
Ruth was kind of independent an,
womanrightishly. and was mindedIto 81,
that women didn't never have morn hal
4 chance, men was so selfish and treated
them as though they were doll-babies
And Dick believed or purtended to believ,
that the hull kit of female kind needed
masters and pertectors as much as th'
nigger slaves down south. This woulC
set Ruth right up, for she.didn't believ,
I in slavery no how.
1T WAS soon after the deacon died tha
there was II picnic off TO one Of the
Islands, and Ruth and Dick both went
| When Ruth came buck she locked awfu
Gu. up about somelhin' or nothin', anC
went right to he room. / heard her tramp
/ in up and down half the night. | never
knowed what was up for three years, and
then she was married to John Dean anG
moved out west, and it was only an ag-
grlvation."
At this jupcture the baby, like PIP
brought up by hand, made An outcry.
Keturah Ann satisfied its demands and
put it in its crib with little chuckle
There, you're blessed good specimin
of tie male sect in general; as peaceabe
ns Il lamb when you're stuffin' somethin
into you that suits you, and just for 4 lit
tie while afterwards"
As Keturah took her sewing. Mrs Lane
remarked smilngly:
You have not yet made it clear why
Your friend married John Dean"
"Why, it's plain ms day that she took
him because he chosed her and seemed to
worship the ground she stood on; same's
many Il woman has married when she
didn't git the one she'd sot her heart on
and didn't keer about fyin' in the face ol
proverdence and not marry at all. Its
clear as can be that she had DRAWN
towards Dick all the time, for all her in
dependence; and bis goin' off to Califor.
mia after that picnic, and never seein' Of
her made her kind of reckless like. One
day when was at Ruths old home takin
keer of Bertha's baby, while she and Rob
ert was off to sea, Dick walked right in
where was. They said he'd got rich
mimi, but he didn't look no ways CHEEKY
eff he had. He KEEP talkin' about Ruth, and
asked eff l thought John Dean would make
her life happy one, and all sich ques.
tions lie said little Rubnstein looked
more like Ruth than Robert. and then he
kissed him and looked so down hearted,
just up and asked him what happened at
81, Il IL hnn hnt hlltl
been loyin' Ruth right along; and that
day when they were alone among the
cliffs, he'd told her he was going off TO be
gone long spell; and lie wanted to have
a serious talk long with her; Ruth never
stopped to hear what he was goin' to say,
but turned and walked off saying kind OF
scornful, she hoped he'd have more sense
about women folks when he came back.
And he went off, thinkin' she didn't keer
for him. but seein' she was still Ruth
Worthin' the last time his folks writ to
him, he'd come back to see if she woudn t
be his after all. And here was Ruth
another mans wife out in 1llinoyl ] de-
clare it was awful pervokin' to see how
them two bein's, both on 'em speakn' the
same tongue, and knowing one mother
all their days, went on to blind their eyes
and make such a mess, n upsotting all
their happiness for life like two natural
born iiets; when there was Robert and
Bertha only knowed one mother six weeks,
or better, and ones talk all gibberish to
t'other, and they found ont they was ment
for one mother. | read novel once all
through, and I'm blessed if Ruth and
Dicks onsenshle doin's want Just off Il
piece with the two lovers in that story, fol
they went on actin through two volems,
and at last came together by accerdent.
But that's sight better Dick and RHth
come out. Its all for the best though, and
I'm not fndin' fault with proverdence.
God works in a mysterious way
His wisdom TO perform"
~ am glad that you are no riSsmist." j."
laughed Mrs. Lane. Il hope Ruth lived
happily with John Dean"
why, yes leustNise as fur as folks
knowed; for woman like Ruth had a
head full of ideas and common sense don't
20 u tellin' all the world she's made a mis-
take and got the wrong man-she'd be
pulled in taters afore she'd own it. It's
mostly them couples as is both alike, one
as weak as tother, that brings their little
mean troubles afore the world and the
law courts and git divorces rs eff them
was panaky for all their miserbleness
John Dean wasn't n bad man but kind OF
hard for women folks to deal with. for he
was monster conterary, and hadn't much
gumption about Business, and lost his
property as keerless as child. Ruth
couldn't do nothing to better things, for
them kind of men, and the weaker they
be the wus they be, is everastin' afraid
they'l be ruled by women folks. Little
Stein, as Ruth called him was with me ut
home when Robert and Bertha were lost
at sea, and Ruth sent for me to fetch him
to her. 1t nigh upon broke her heart to
lose 'em both all of sudden; but il was
II comfort she said to have Roberts boy.
live had home with Ruth ever sence,
ef body ever is ut home in this shif less
out vest
Being native of Keturah's ''out west
Mrs. Lane hid smile in her question:
" Has Mrs. Dean never been cast 10 see
her relatives in all this time?'
Keturah beeswaxed her thread and gave
her peculiar chuckling laugh before she
spoke.
It's funny, cf lisappoinlments ever is,
but she hasn't ever been. When Stein was
ten year old or upwards, Ruth planned in
her heart some way TO take us all on a
good long pleasuring tower east; and
John Dean seemed to need u change more
than any of us for he'd been failing all the
spring. Ruth, she teached in q friend S
school and colored photographs that ii
mightn't come hard on John for the out
lay; and we was all ready, trunks all
packed, and the airly roses BLOWN, and
the black dust choakin' us, when poor
John was took down helpless with Il shock
of paralysis. Instead of hollerday
amongst them blessed Maine hills, we
staid in that hot city all that summer a
tending on that poor sick mortal. Ruth
wasn't IN angel; bat she was better
than one of 'em tioppin' their wings
around II sick room for she was woman
with human hands and CHEEKY words; and
he was childish onrestful inverlid.
Twas in the winter he died; and when
the sound Of them frozen clods fallin' on
his coffin struck Ruth'S ears, she tainted
dead away in my arms. Perhaps you
don't believe it; it isn't them we have
loved most and been happiest with ,ha,
we weep bitterest tears for when they nrc
gone;-it's sorrow for happiness we never
had cuts deepest
After while we moved down to here
to this village, the dncentest place ovel
! ,,,,f e, - Z