Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-01-08

agin' a rock, an of n little woman q
streakin' through the bushes a lookin
back kind of scornful?"
Having delivered herself of his unex.
pected speech, which for moment
quite suspended her tRuth's) breath
keturah's face disappeared in the paste
board tunnel of her calico sun-bonnet
and, IN spite of her disappointment,
she went smiling back to her duties.
The marplot nephew's letter was an.
swered with due speed; and two weeks
later kutn sat one afternoon IN hen
cosy little parlor. The light from near,
ly a shaded window played over hel
wavy, brown hair and little gray-clad
figure, the somberness of the dress only
relieved by little knot of tiny ferns
and scarlet geranium blossoms Mt her
throat, and lit the pages for her book
which she was vainly eudeavoring to
read. 1T is useless she murmured.
81 can neither read nor work. 1t is
that foolish dream of last night which
brings so wildly 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
heart-broken, | imagine, though that
away in the wild Vancouver with his
coal mines, his wealth, and with that
doctors widow that he married, he has
quite forgotten Little Ruth was all
to blame. What idiots women are;
saying and doing in pure caprice what
they would give worlds moment after
to undo. But Q, its the afterthonght,
the Undergraduate that makes our bitter
nessW Covering her face With both
hands, Ruth lost all thought Of the
present in II reverie of the past. The
sound of an arriving train at n near
depot aroused her, and brushing away
an impertinent tear, she exclaimed
aloud What a sentimental old thing
you are, Ruth Dean; why, yol. ought
to be wrinkled and gray-headed and
sensible-you are only one of thous-
and-.only one,
"Whose oyer-hasty impulse drove him
Past earthly joys he might secure"
She arose and opened bind that
had tempered the hot June sun. Full
ing towards her an overhanging vine,
she gathered handful of roses, and rs
she turned away from the window feft
herself half lifted from the floor III the
clasp of some intruder's arm.
"Stein, dear little Stein, you great
frightful darling" she exclaimed as
her blonde-haired Teutonic nephew re-
leased her from his close embrace.
81 crept in by the back way to sur
prise you see these COMPOUNDED splnts,
how they bother me and my ankle
gives me twlnge at every step. But
Aunt Ruth, | have not come alone
here's somebody that knows father
Mr.. Saywood-Aunt Ruth-who-what
is the matter" For, as Stein uttered
his companions name, Ruth gave q
slight shrek. and stood pale and tren
bling as tall bronzed, heavily~beardet
man came forward to greet her.
May | come in, Ruth?' asked hel
guest, with mock humility in his tone
Dick-Richard Saywood is it posi-
ble"
at is possible--it is the same Dick
who used to have SO little sense about
women-one woman particularly" he
said, taking her hands in his and lead
ing her to Il seat.
. came from Victoria to place my
stepSon III school ut San Francisco
while there | learned that my frienc
Leonard was III Colorado. | dropped
in to see him for old acquaintance sake
and there met Roberts son, and tho
poor, bruised rascal needing an escort
have guided him safe to your arms
Could do less for his fathers SON."
Il am grateful-but, Di-Mr. Say
wood" blundered Ruth, half bewider
ed by his steady gaze, and the Close
clasp of her unreleased hands, you
family-your wife-why have you no
brought her with you?"
81 have no family save my youn
stepson, Maynard. His mother wa
the wife of my dearest friend in tha
rude land. He died, leaving his wit
and son in my care. She was an in
valid when | married her; and TWO year
ago she died, and now May nard is IN,
sole comforter. Are you still pitiiess
kutll-mV NUN, he asked, III VOC
husky with emotion, as Ruth's fearful
Joyful eyes looked up into his question
ing face, giving him the full assurance
of that love he once doubted.
Ke'urah Ann was somewhat scandal
lied at the brevity Of the preparation
for the wedding which followed TIN
meeting of those two "onsensibl
bein's:" and she was heard 20 declare
EFF the ways of Providence isn't tn
onscruterbIist; here's that visit dow
East that's been upset so many time
comes to a weddin' tower after ali.
Three years after Rnths second MAJ
rage, Mrs. Lane, visiting friends i
Maine, met Keturah Ann and mad
some INQUIRIES IN regard to Der fOrme