The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-08-22

put it in q tum5ler, and len keep ever
so long. She's dear, good soul, tell !
you. It's pity she haint home, an
some ono 10 take care of her; though
fur's thatr concerned, she's willin' an
capable of taking care Of herself. But
every woman needs q home, EI think"
Mrs. Scraggs watched David, to see how
he took her view of things, and was graf
lied to see that it interested him.
Tell her thank her very much" said
David. ut makes me think of mothers
roses; tell her that"
The flower made his room almost
beautiful, and his heart seemed full o.
dreams, for he did nothing but dream the
rest of that day, and it must have been
the roses fragrance that made him do it.
Another day Of confinement! Would
he ever get out again2 He went to the
window and watched the skies. They
were forbiddingly gray. It would rain
by tomorrow. But while he stood there
the sun seemed to burst forth, and the
world was suddenly bright and gay.
Other people might have failed to see
any wonderful change; but looking over
the way, he saw Ruth at her window
watering her rose, and she saw him, and
bowed and smiled. and that accounted
for the sudden frightening up Of every
thing.
The next morning it rained; a slow,
dull, DRILLING kind of rain, that didn't
amount to much as a ram, but effectu.
ally prevented him from going to the
store. as he had intended to.
Ruth. was at the window, setting her
rose on the sill to catch the drops as
they fell, when he looked across the way
alter breakfast. She nodded and smiled
to him, and the air seemed alive with
ainbows. He threv up his window and
aid. 'Good morning." and they had
quite a pleasant chat together. Being
up so high they could carry on their con-
versation without interfering with any
body.
He sat by the window and tried to
read, that afternoon. But his eyes would
keep wandering from his paper to the
window over the way.
By and by Ruth came to take in her
rose. She threw up the window and
reached to get the pit; but by some mis-
hap it slipped from her grasp and went
tumbling down to the ground, where it
broke into fragments, and the rose was q
poor, mangled thing, with its life crush
ed out of it forever.
A cry broke from Miss Doaue's lips
a cry full of pain and grief. Her rose
was like friend, almost the only friend
she had in the world. And it was
gone!
David sprang up, pulled on his coat,
put on his hat, and started for the old
German florists, round the corner, "that
sudden" Mrs. Scraggs declared, *'that
she thought he was took worse, an won
dered if he wasn't out of his head"
Pretty soon he came back with a pot
under each arm; one held rose bush,
twice as large as the one that had met
such sad fate, full of beautiful roses and
scarlet buds: and the other a Gala, with
two MAGNIFICENT blossoms cleaning out
Whitley from its broad green leaves.
David went straight to Ruth Doane's
room. He never stopped to think any
thing about the propriety Of the action.
He knocked at her door, and she came to
let him in with a fearful face. She had
been crying over her poor rose.
III saw it." cried David. II knew how
you cared for it. and 1 bro, ght these to
take its place."
"Oh, what beautiful things" she said,
bending over them, while her face was
fairly radiant. I don't know which
pleased her most, the flowers or the kind
ness which prompted the gift. When she
looked up her eyes were full of tears.
II cant think of words to tell you how
Thankful am" she said. "But if you
knew how few beautiful things my life
has in it, and could only know how much
like friends flowers are, you could under.
stand it,
II do understand" be said softly.
"Oh, Ruth, would love make your lie
anv brighter2"
She looked up. wonderingly, question
ingly.
II love you," he said simply, and his
facelwas TRANSPORTED by the holy light Of
his affection. II love you, Ruth. I
want you. Nav have you?'
He keld out his hand toward ner. She
was pale now.
"Are you sure you want me?" she
asked.
"Quite sure" he answered, smiling
"surer than l ever was of anything else
in my life"
She put her hands in his, and a sweet
rain tears b;oko over the violets of her
eyes. He folded her TO his breast and
kissed every tear awav, while his heart
was ringing with sudden music.
MY Ruth" he said, very softly, very
tenderly. and kissed her again. "How
happy I am! wonder if you know?"
Il think do,". she whispered, "be.
cause am so happy myself
By and-by, David. sitting by the little
table where Ruth had written hour after
hour, while he had watched her light up
on the wall, told her of his dream.
"Sucb pleasant home as we will
have" he cried, and the rose bush shook
all over in its mysterious glee, and the
trumpet blossoms Of the Gala seemed
ringing out jubilant peals.
"Home, "she repeated, musingly "Its
word I've almost forgotten the meaning
"We'll learn what it means,' he said.
And they have. The fire on their hearth
is as bright as any hearth fire in the land.
Home is home to them, and not a place
to live in. j"
The Umbrella Trick In Paris.
The thiefof the period has begunto be-
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