Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-02-13
LANCASTER WISCONSIN, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 49, 1873

tures Wnile near Dy bird was tWi
tering as it hoped from branch I
branch of young maple tree ths
Tom had planted near the gate, tire
/ years before. But to Roth, the pleat
antest sight was the new house, q fe,
rods distant, and the sweetest soun,
was the busy hammers on the roof
For the zone year more had come an,
the new house IS to be completed 'be
fore harvest
| Ruth has grown tall since we frs
saw her, but the dark eyes are as keel
and bright, and the face and figur
still rounded with health and vigor
She has improved much every way
the last year. Everything about he
is neat aud tidy, while the little shell
Of books near her chair shows that sh,
Is as bent upon improving her mini
as upon making her fsther's HON,
pleasant.
when do You expect your sister-in
Law p asked she.
She'll get here about Friday,
think. But dear me, / must be going
or Isha'n't have supper before dark
and every one Of them blessed child
rem will be up to their ears 10 bread
and molasses. Come over soon, Ruthie
good. bye, jamie And the bustline
little woman was gone.
Ruth did 60 to see Margaret James
| and she did like her. The liking was
mutual, and they very soon became
fast friends Miss James was of great
service to Ruth and Kitty when the
new house was to be furnished, and
many OF the tasteful adornments were
Of her suggesting. Let as peep into
the pretty new cottage after the fam.
lily are thoroughly settled.
1t is an early morning in Novem.
Der. Ruth is putting the bright sit.
ting room in order. Pictures and
brackets, not expensive, but tasteful,
adorn the walls books and papers
are scattered about, and though the
floor is covered with gray rag car.
pet and the furniture is very simple,
much of it Of the young peoples own
manufacturing,the room wears a thor.
oughly home look.
Kitty is &C her old employment, dish
washing. and an open book lies on the
window near her. She is studying a
lesson in physiology.
what is that. Kitty says jamie,
coming up as she is reading aloud a
few lines, and pointing to an illustra-
ton on the open page.
"A diagram, illustrating the circula-
ton Of the blood, said Kitty, and went
on with her reading.
'What is diagram, Kitty, and what
does circulation mean p
Kitty did not answer, and the child
repeated the question.
ooh, don't trouble me, annie, / am
in hurry and Kitty went back to
her dishes, repeating her lesson over
and ovsr a
jamie drew himself up and said,
proudly when I grow big and you
grow little, I'll 'splain it to YOU
A halt hour later, as Kitty started
to school, she passed jamie in the
yard, prancing gayly about astride a
stick.
'What are you doing, little brother?'
called she.
jamie stopped his antics and re-
piled sI'm trying to improve the cir.
culation Of my blood
Kitty laughed as she kissed him
goodbye, and giving him loving lit
tie squeeze, whispered softly !: 'I'm
sorry / was cross this morning, Jamie.
4 knew You would be, so l forgave
you right away said jamie, returning
her kiss.
Kitty was very fond Of study, and
was constantly porting over her
books. She was growing tall rapidly
now, and her pale face and listless air
showed plainly that she was overtax-
ing her feeble body. Ruth noticed.
with a pang, that Kitty was growing
more and more like their mother, and
the increasing transparency of CON-
piexion and sharpening of features in
creased her solicitude. As the winter
advanced, and cough began to de-
velop itself. she became really alarm
ed, and consulted first her dear friend,
Margaret James, aud then her father
The result was that Kitty was forbid
den longer to attend school, and as
the months went by, she was gener.
ally found lying on the lounge near
her window Of plants. Only the light
est of tasks fell to her nov, and Ruth
protested against even the appearance
of work. although Margaret insisted
that perfect idleness was almost 40
bad as over work.
The beautiful valley contains a
number of farm houses now. and
most of the tiny cabins have disap.
peared. And if you will climb any
one of the steep bluffs that shut the
valley in. you will see houses and
fields, and even trees. where few
years ago was an unbroken prairie
Kitty is fast regaining her health
Nearly every day she receives calls
from young friends, for she is q gen.
oral favorite, and there is one young
man who comes oftener than the
rest. But WILDER Ford seems to find
as much pleasure 10 talking quietly
with Ruth, az in the merriest chat
with Kitty. l am afraid, too, that
Ruth has learned to know q certain
step, for there is one and only enc
that sends the rich blood to her
cheek; and the long black lashes do
not droop quickly enough to hide
the sudden light in the dark, eyes
But 20 one suspects this, unless it is
Gr. Weston, who has long since
ceased to visit Mrs. Blake, and Ruth
has almost forgotten that anxious
summer.
Once. WILDER Ford SAYS to her, "a
he is leaving, "Next time ] come,
hope you will be alone. have some
thing to say to YOU" His look told
her what it was, but she only said
agood night" and escaped to her
own room to think it over. After the
FIRST happy moment, came q thought
Of those SO dependant upon her for
their home comforts, and her heart
almost stopped its beating. She
threw herself on the bed in an agonv
too great for tears When at last she