Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-01-08

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that queer and stiff in his WAYS; an
there was a neighbor's son with a soft
spot in his head somewhere, for he writ
poemsand things for believe
he came to be editor afterwards Ruth
couldn't bear him. Then there was the
sea capting. a sight older'n her, forever
a askin' Of her to go a ridin' or 81 walkin'
with him, an she q maxim excuses an
never a goin'. Ruth nicknamed him
in her funny way, Laird Dumbiedikes,
an said he'd think himself she ought to
marry him, she'd known him so long.
Then there was Roberts friend. Dick,
real likely he was, too, an he was at the
deacon's sight; but didn't call him a
beau then. for he and Ruth was alwus
a sparrin' an q argyfyin,' an never
seemed to agree about nothin.' They
was the oppositest bein's [ ever see
Ruth SO quick an techy, an Dick as
cool as a cucumber. ... .r.
Ruth was kind of independent and
womansrightsy, and was minded to say
that women didn't have morn half q
chance, men was so selfish, and treated
em as eff they was doll babies An
Dick believed, or purtended to, that the
hull kit of female kind needed masters
and pertecters as much as the niger
slaves down south This would set
Ruth right up, for she didn't believe in
slavery, no how.
at was soon after the deacon died
that there was picnic of to one of the
islands,, an Ruth an Dick both went
When Ruth came back she looked aw-
full cut up about somethin' or mother,
and went right to her room. | heerd
her trampin' up an down half the night.
| never know'd what was up for three
years, an then she was married to John
Dean an moved out west, an it was
only an aggravation.'
At this juncture the baby, like Pip,
brought up by hand, made an outcry.
Keturah Ann satisfied its demands,
and put it in its crib, saying with a little
chuCkle:
There, you're blessed good speci-
men of the male sect in glneral, as
peaceful as lamb when you're a stuff
| fin somethin' into you that suits you,
an for jest a little while afterward." As
Keturah took her sewing Mrs Lane re-
marked smilingly: You have not
made it clear yet why your friend mar
ried John Dean"
"Why, it's plain as day that she took
him because he choosed her, an seem
ed to wuship the ground she stood on;
same's many q woman has married
when she didn't get the one she'd sot
her heart on, an didn't keer about fv-
marry at all. It's clear as can be that
Il 81 ~
time, for all her independence; an his
goin' right off to California after that
picnic, and never seem of her, made
her kind of reckless like. One day
when | was at Ruth's old home takin'
keer of Bertha's baby, while she an
Robert was off to sea, Dick walked right
in where | was. They said he'd got
rich a mimi, but he didn't look no
ways CHEEKY if he had. He kept talk
in about Ruth, and asked eff thought
John Dean would make her life happy,
an all SIGH questions. He said little
Rubinstein looked more like Ruth than
Robert, an then he kissed him an
looked SO down-hearted, [ jest up an
asked him what happened at that pic
mic. 1t all come out then that he'd
been lovin' Ruth right along; an that
! day, when they was alone among the
cliffs, he'd told her he was goin' off to
be gone a long spell, an he wanted to
hey a seris talk long her; an Ruth
never stopped to hear what he was
gOin' to say, but turned an walked off,
sayln' kind of scOrnful, she hoped he'd
have more sense about wOmen-folks
when he came back. An he went off
thinkin' she didn't care for him; but
seem that she was still Ruth Worthin'
the last time his folks writ him, he'd
come back to see if she wouldn't be his,
after all. An here was Ruth, another
mans wife out in Illinoy! [ declare it
was awful pervokin' to see how them
two beins, both Ofem 81 speakin' the
same tongue. an KNOWN one mother
all their days, went on to blind their
eyes and make slch mess, a upsettln'
all their happerness for life like two
material born iiets; when there was Rob-
ert and Bertha only knowed one moth
er six weeks or better, an ONES talk all
glbberish to t'other, an they found out
they was meant for one mother [ read
a novel all through, an Pm blest eff
Ruth and Dick onsensible dOin's wasn't
jest OFT a piece with the two lovers III
that story, for they went on actin con
terarv through two vollems, an at last
come together by accerdent. But that's
sight better'n Ruth an Dick come out.
It's all for the best. though, an I'm not
fndin' fault with Providence.
God works in q mysterious way
His wonders to perform "
Il am glad that you are no pessl-
mist" laughed Mrs Lane. 81 hope
Ruth lived happily with John Dean
"Why, yes, leastwise as fur as folks
knoWed; for a woman like Ruth, with
a head full of ideas an common sense
don't go and tell the world she's made
a mistake an got the wrong man-she'd
be pulled In tatters afore she'd own it.
It's mostly them couples as is both
alike, one as weak as t'other. that brings
their little mean troubles afOre the
world an law courts, an gets divorces
as eff them was a panaky for all their