The Osceola times., 1880-02-14

"What can that old bundle of clothing
"Huah." said Ruth sternly, "he will
hsar you" -, u IL ,
"Hs q old and inArm, Rachel, and bis
soe should render him sacred In your
Rachel tossed her head sneeringly.
"Rutb. YOU are too absurd for any
thing; won't wait on him..
Rnt the old man steered resolutely for
Rachel herself
T want to buy some gloves, miss" he
said. in feeble, croaking voice.
"You'd better 20 somewhere else, said
the voung lady superciliously, "our store
doesn't keep cheap goods;
"How much are these!
"A dollar q pair"
"But am poor miss; have you nothing
"No," snapped Rachel. 81 told you
IN 90 elsewhere. | have no patience
with paupers." $40.
~ beg your pardon, miss, am not
pauper.6 said the old man.
"Weil," observed the girl scornfully,
"vou look like one."
'SInnearances are often deceitful; did
Won tefl me YOU had cheaper gloves?"
~ didn't tell you any such thing"
"Rachell Rachel" demonstrated her
cousin. "Let me show you what you
want. sir." she softly, turning to the
aged customer. "We have some very
nice gloves for seventy-ive cents;
"Seventy-fve cents Is great deal OF
money to pay for pair Of gloves" said
the old man, looking sorrowfullv down
ON the mended fingers Of those he wore,
"and the weather is getting frosty, and
Pm not so young as ! was"
II should think that was quite evil
dent" said Rachel, with heartless litter.
Ruth bent toward the old man, saying
in low voice:
"Take the warm worsted gloves sir
The price is seventy five cents, but you
shall have them for fifty. l myself will
make up the difference to the store. You
are an old gentleman, and l am young
and able to work"
"But am nothing to you, miss"
Ruth folded the gloves neatly in
piece of paper and handed them to him
"For the sake of the dear father wh(
died year ago, old age can never b,
nothing to me, sir. Please don't thanl
me, Sir, deserve no gratitude"
And Ruth drew blushingly back ,whil'
Rachel burst INTO scornfll laugh.
upon my word, Ruth, you are tn,
greatest fool l ever saw, she cried, as tn,
old gentleman hobbled out Of the store
II would have seen the old beggar II
Jerico before would give him anything
Why doesn't he go to the poorhouheY
The days crept on, and one day MI
Harry Meredith astonished little Rutl
burr very much by asking her to be III
wife.
1t was as if the gates of Paradise ha,
been suddenly opened TO her--the mod
est little girl secretly worshipping Harr
Meredith III her heart of hearts ha
never dreamed of such luck in store TO
her.
That evening she told her cousir
Rachel listened in silence. The prize ha
been near her grasp once, but someho'
had slipped away.
Il think you must be mistaken, Ruth,
she said, acrimoniously. Il think MI
Meredith never would"
She checked herself, for at that IN
slant the door opened, and Harry Mert
dith was announced.
"Well. Rachel" he said pleasantly, "ar
you ready to congratulate me upon tn
sweet little wife that l have won?"
Rachel muttered one or two form.
sentences. but she was very pale. Me-
edith observed her with a smile.
"Ruth," he said, turning with lovin
look, IL have something to show vou."
"He put tiny parcel into her han'
She opened it, when out fell a pair {
worsted gloves. She looked wistfnll
into his face, then the whole tide {
memory came back.
"Hany were you the old mani"
81 was the old man, my dearest"
Then Rachel knew why it was ths
the ship freighted with all her hope
bad drifted away when it was so nea
the haven.