The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-04-01
QUIET RUTH.

Sne was very QuleC, my 1rlenQ Rutll
Earle. Repose was in every line of her
graceful form and every feature of her
pretty face. The soft waving hair,
brown in the shadow and flecked with
pale golden CLEANS when the shone
upon it; the solemn blue eyes, the
straight brow-all very quiet to in
tensity. She never blushed, or trem-
bled, or, went into ecstacies of admira-
tion or fear or fun; her smile rose on
her face and lit it. as the full moon does
the sky on still summer night, and
every tone of her voice was low and
musical. Some called her cold, but |,
who knew her so well, would have
laughed ut them. In one sentence she
could embody the sentiments another
girl would have spent an hour in delin-
eating. In one glance she could reveal
tempest of joy or love or scorn; but
the glances were rare and words rarer;
but Ruth's heart was usually a sealed
casket to all about her. A quiet interest
and sympathy in others veal and woe,
peaceful sort of happiness-onlyt those
were on the surface, and the torrent of
emotion rolled on silently beneath.
Why, of all the men on earth, Ruth
should have given her heart to my
cousin, Charley Campbell, could not
guess. How he-fery and emotional to
degree, acting on impulse altogether,
loving everything that dashed and gilt
tered and made a noise, adoring martial
music and passionate poetry, and always
smitten by talkative, black haired.
waltzing, coquetting belles-ever fell in
love with quiet Ruth Earle, was still a
stranger problem. When one fine Au-
gust evening he bounced into our par
Tor, where | was sitting alone, and in.
fO.p,oI mo Wi hnnt na1.lau nr INrafa0n
that lie was engaged to Ruth, l, in my
astonishment, exclaimed: 81 should as
soon have imagined a mad bull engaged
to ring-dovew and was very sorry
afterward, it was such foolish, singu-
lar speech. Still, it did describe my
feelings exactly.
Every one wondered. Young girls
wondered what he could see in such a
quiet girl" young gentlemen "won-
dered how she could like such a wild
scapegrace. But when, at last, she
came to me one day, with both hands in
mine, and said: Mary. you do not
know how dear he is to me-he is my
life," | wondered no longer, for knew
irresistible. unconscious glances of hers,
and shot him through the heart.
think they We're very happy all that
bright autumn, and when the winter
came the quiet contentment of Ruth's
face deepened, and every evening he was
at her side, reading, or singing or talk
ing to her in soft, loving whispers.
Was she tanning down my wild cousin
Could mortal woman do such SEEM
ingly impossible thingP Were all the
wild oats sown-all the scrapes overP 1t
seemed so.
The careless boy was maturing into the
high-breG man, passionate and impul
sive still, but with higher aims and
higher principles.
The winter rolled away, the bright
spring came, and when the fragrant
apple blossoms were upon the trees
Ruth told me that the day was fixed fol
her bridal, and we rode out together one
morning to purchase satin and lace and
muslin for the brides attire. Gong
home together with the parcels slowed
away in the bottom of the vehicle, we
met Cousin Charley, his cheeks aglow
and his eyes danciny with suppressed
merriment. He waved his hand to uS
and we paused.
Take me in won't youP" he said
pleadingly. 81 have been to call upor
you, and of course found you not a
home, You have seat for me,
know
sl2hlneu my approval, and III
Jumped in and seated himself beside
Ruth.
"The Petral came in to-day" he said
as we drove along. did you hear tht
guns? She is fine vessel, lust from
India, with set of the yeliowest pas
sengers you ever saw. Liver complain
is as common among them as anon:
French geese, and pepper is the chic
article of their diet. Such tempers a
they have, too! 1t would puzzle Rutl
herself to keep quiet among them"
How do you know so much abou
them?" | inquired.
"Oh, I've been to breakfast with on
of their number" replied Charley; a
old nabob who is as rich as he is ugly
and who has the handsomest wife
BY the way, an old schoolmate OF yours
Mary"
"Who is shePn l asked.
He replied by another question: :" d
you remember Kate Glynne"
Kate Giynnp Yes. Is she the na
"Of course she is. / met her comm
oil the boat this morning. She kne'
me at once. We had desperate flirti
tlon long ago. She is one of the maC
cap girls used to like before met m
snow birG here, and my face RENAME
in her memory. She introduced me
Ii husband, and he invited me
breakfast. l revenged myself for t.