The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-09
TRI-WEEKLY EDITION
But Ruth would only rcitcratc with
down-cast eyes and deepening bushes
/;


down-cast eyes and deepening bushes
81 can't sell It,"
Mr.. Wynfcld Napier, walked away,
pulling his moustachc and pondering over
the old piece of English ware which had so
! attracted his attention.
"lll sit down formally before that cream
pot, " said he; 'I'll besiegc it. 1t shall be
mine, or shall know the reason why"
For MIR. Napier was connoisseur in
ceramics, and the moment his idle glance
cast upward through Mrs. Wallis's milk
! room window, as he drank glass of water
| at the well, had fallen on the piece of Eng
lish china, his soul coveted it.
"l've just month to stay here before l
must go back to my dingy old law office
again." mcditatcd he. "a man can do a
great deal in month"
And he sat himself regularly to work to
win the treasure which he had ycarncd for
deeply.
Day after day he strollcd to the old farm
house, now with this excuse, now with
that, handsome, courtly, middlc-agcd
man, whose winning manners would have
attracted any one, and who was as much at
home under the white-washcd ceiling of
the widow Wallis's best room as in man
sion.
One day he spoke of the old cream-pot.
"Ruth's cream-pot ~ said Naomi, the
elder sister, hard-fcatured, loud-voiced
spinister Of nine and thirty. "Wusn't il a
strange provision Of Grandmother Crocus's
will that Ruth can never part with that old
piece of cracked absurdty, unless
"Noami, hush !" and Ruth had sprung
across the room and laid her hands on her
sisters lips, and with blazing eyes and
color as deep as one Of her own scarlet
geraniums said, "Orr family affairs shall
not be talked of to strangers"
cam | stranger2' said Mr. Napier,
gnvcly 81 am sorry for that Ruth. "Only
--only-Naomi, please to remember that
this is never to be spoken Of"
s'Dcar mel" said Naomi, bristlng ND,
''Here's pretty how-to-do about an old
cream pitcher"
That self-same evening Mr.. Napier fol-
lowed Ruth out in the garden where she
had gone to water her carnations.
"Ruth," said he, care you determined
not to tell me the secret of that cream pot 2"
Yes" said Ruth, rcsolutcly.
"Nor let me have it Oh any tcms?"
'Please, Mr.. Napier" said Ruth, ''don't
ask me. / cannot"
"Well," said Mr.. Napier "hcre is yet
third demand. If can't have either secret
or cream pitcher, can have you2"
'NIc"
eyes" said the staid lawyer with
strangely softening eyes. ''Dear little
Ruth, l have somehow lost my heart to you
these last three weeks. l can't 90 back to
the old life without you. | am not Il young
man, but have never loved before, and"-
"But, interrupted Ruth, with mantling
cheeks and culver in her voice, Sam
good enough9"
BY way Of answer he took her in his
arms and looked tcnderly into her face,
and to Ruth Wallis it seemed as if the
whole of paradise had opened to her in that
moment.
"IIcre it is" said Ruth, with glistening
eyes and smiling lips "The old cream
pitcher, dear Wyntield."
The ccrimaniac forgot even true love in
the fascination of the piece of old English
ware that Ruth laid in his lap
lie took it up with loving touch.
"But thought it was a decree of tho
Mcdes and Pcrsians that you were not to
part with it2
g"You didn't understand" said Ruth,
coloring radantly, 81 was never to part
with it-so Grandmother Crocus's Will
said-exccpt to my husband"
"Why didn't you say so before 2'' .
$50 that you might have taken me for
the sake of the old cream pitcher" said
Ruth, a little piqued. .'.
He drew her gcrtly to his sidc
"Nly own darling" said he, 'T love you
better than all tle old china that is in the
world''
Which was a great admission for Wynn
field Napier to make. -.
A month later there was wedding in
the village church, and after the wedding
came the wedding breakfast, and not few
Of the guests wondered that the centre Or
namcnt on the table, on such an auspicious
occasion, should be an old cream lug.