The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-12-20


insects. an all sorts of crawlin things a clut-
term up the house with 'em An many's |
the time he's nigh blowed us all up with his |
chemical 'speriments.
Ruth seemed to think him all righl AZ
he KEEP on a studyin' for collige but when
her cousin, Mr. Leonard, from Msssachu.
sets, come along last year Stein great
boy of II, took notion to 60 an help him
on his sheep ranch in Colorady Ef you'll
mind this baby a mint I'll ran over an see
ef Ruth has heerd from him.
Keturah found Ruth in her sitting room.
strewed with various signs of speedy depart.
ure, seated on the corner Of half.packed
trunk, with a crushed letter in her hands
aod with dazed, fearful look in her eyes.
Oh, Keturah, she exclaimed, as that
spinster appeared before her, STEMS letter
came half an hour ago, and have sat like
one stunned ever since, He has been thrown
IRON horse, broken one arm, sptained an
ankle and bruised himself terribly. He
hopes we have not started on our Journey,
for he wishes to come home as soon a. his
|
take up his studies again and,behave himself,
he writes. The dear boy-l am 80 glad it is
no worse, and that | shall have him at home
again. But its so ridiculous to have our Wis.
it delayed again. How fate must enjoy up
setting cur plans, and Ruth laughed hyster
icllly until the tears rolled down over the
halt-iOlded garment on her lap.
But you can go, Keturah, aud we will
come on later she added when she had
composed herself
Not step will bulge until you 60, eff
have to wait till I'm rs old as Methu,'l,h
I've felt it in my bones all along that some
thing would happen to that boy-so per
nickety and ventursome-uo good comes of
mixin' up races
You need not say that for see how
Stems Yankee proclivities send him roam
ing afer adventure and to see the world.
while the German part of him brings him
home to quiet study and duty, Bat help me
put this torturing trunk out of sight and
Ruth arose from her cramped position with
regained cheerlujness
As she shut the trunk out Cf sight in a
dark closet she broke out afresh TO think
how many pictures of cliff mountain and sea
| Pve blundered into that trunk with every
package and now
! 'Praps you packed in picter of great
broad -shouldered feller standin' agin a
rock, an of little woman a streakin'
through the bushes lookiu' back kind of
scornful.'
Having delivered herself of this unexpected
speech, which for moment quite suspended
her (Ru,h's) breath, Keturah's face disap.
oeared in the pasteboard tunnel of her calico
sun bonnet, aud, in spite of her 'dsappont-
ment' she went smiling back to her duties.
The marplot uephew's letter was answered
with due speed, and two weeks later Ruth
sat one afternoon in her cosy paror. The
light from nearly shaded window PLAYED
over her wavy, brown hair and little gray
clad figure, the sombreness of the dress only
relieved by little knot of tiny terms and
scarlet geranium blossoms at her throat, and
lit up the pages Of the book she was vainly
endeavOriug to read. 1T is useless she
murmured, 4 can neither read nor work 1t
is that foolish dream of last night which
brings so vividly to mind all those by gone
scenes-father, mother, Robert and Dick
dead and living, all mingled together after
the fashion of dreams. Keturah is SO sure
that he went away heartbroken imag-
inc though that away in that wild Vaucou- =
yer with his coal mines, his wealth, and with
that doctors widow he married, he has quite
forgotten Little Ruth was all to blame
What idiots women are saving and doing
in pure caprice what they would give worlds
a moment after to unssy and undo But on,
its the afterthough', the hintergedauke, that
makes our bitterness 7 Covering her face
with both hands Ruth lost all thought of the
present in a revery Of the past. The sound
of an arriving train at the near depot arOus,
ed her, and brushing away an impertinent
I tear, she exclaimed aloud "What sentimen.
= tai old thing you are RuthDean ; why, you
ought to be wrinkled and gray headed anC
eensibe-you are only one of thousands
only one.
Whose over-hasty impulse drove him
Past earthly joys he might secIre'
She arose and opened blind that m
~ p-red the hit June snn. Pulling toward
her an Overnanging vine, she gathered
handful of roses, as she turned away iron
the wind ~, felt he5elf half lifted from th
u floor in the clasp of some iutruders arm.
| Il Gt,; l. 4
y = full darling !! she exclaimed, as her blonde
haired, Teutonic nephew released her lroI
his close embrace.
- Il crept in by the back way to surpris
yOu-.see these confounded splints, how the
" bother me, and my ankle gives me twing
" at every step. But Aunt Ruth, have nc
=, come alOne-here's somebody that know
- tather-Mr, Saywood, Aunt Ruth-why
:. what is the matter I? For, as Stein uttere
his companions name, Ruth gave a sligl
shrek, aud stood pale and trembling as
:, bronzed, heavily bearded man came forwar
to greet her.
MAY come in Ruth ?. asked her guet
with mock humility in his tone.
Richard Saywool is it possible
1t is possible-itis the the same Dick VII
u used to have So little sense about wosen-
one woman particularly he said, takiu
Il her hands in his aud leading her to
? seat
5 i came from Victoria 70 place my stel
Is son in school at San Francisco; while the
| learned that my friend Leonard was
o Colorado. | dropped in to see him for o
e acquaintance sake, and there met Robert
e son, and the poor, bruised rascal needing q
b, escort have guided him safe to your arm
er Could | do less for his fathers son I?
As Il am gra.eiul-but Di-Mr Saywood
Is blundered Ruth, half bewildered by h