The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-24
LITTLE RUTH.
AN OLD MANS STORY.

/ know / was selfish old idiot, now,
when look around me and see the mer-
cies given me in my helpless oldage, feel
the warm love around me on all sides,
and realize the desolation my own hand
reached forth to grasp but 1 was blind
to the future in those days when 1 30
nearly wrecked all its happiness.
This was how it happened: After Mar
tina died-my wife, mean, with whom
forty happy years of my life were spent
and all my children were dead or mar
ried, excepting Ruth, there fell upon me
the heavy misfortune that has chained
me to this chair, or my bed, for fifteen
weary years. 1 had been hard-working
man all my life-a wheelwright by trade
with large family to rear, TO clothe,
to feed, TO educate, and, ah me one by
one to bury in the old churchysrd, till
only Mary, James and Ruth, our baby,
were left to me. Mary married, and
went with her husband to the far West.
James took his small fortune OF a few
hard-earned dollars, and left us for the
golden land of promise, California, and
only little Ruth was left us. Then the
angel of death came for Martha, and
only six months later was stricken help
less with paralysis.
am reconciled now to my hard fate,
and can sit here happily, glad that my
eyesight is still good, my right hand free,
and that have learned in my old age to
love books, to enjoy reading, and even
writing. as never did in the hard-work-
ing days of my youth. But in those first
months Of helplessness, when even to
toss and turn in my nervous torture was
denied me, my sufferings were simply
horrible. No agony Of pain, no torture
of flesh or bone, could equal the dread
full pressure upon my strong limbs, that
held them motionless, dead, in spite of
my efforts to move them one little inch.
i have tainted with the frightful efforts I
have made Just to lift once the feet that
had carried me miles In Q day with un-
wearied ease. ....
But even in that time Of rebelious
murmuring, Of bitterest repining, there
was some consolation. First, there was
the house and five acres Of land, my very
own, free of debt or mortgage, and a
small sum in the bank, the interest of
which lifted us above actual want. Then
had Ruth.
She was Just twenty when her mother
died, and others beside her father
thought her face the fairest one for miles
around. She had the bluest eyes, like
the little patches Of summer sky, and
hair that was the color of corn silk, and
nestled in little baby curls all over her
head-rebellious hair, that would never
lie straight under any coaxing, but kinked
mp in tangles that were full of sunlight.
Her skin was white as milk, with cheeks
like the heart Of q blush rose, and her
smile showed the prettiest rows Of pearly
teeth / ever saw.
She coaxed from me my wicked re.
piuings by coming to me for directions
making me feel that my head was still
needed to direct the work, though my
feet would never more carry me over the
door-sill. Then she fitted mp for me
large back room that overlooked most O
the farm, and had Silas, our head man
lift me up every morning and put me il
deep-cushioned chair by the window
where could see the barn, the poultry
yard, the well. and the fields of waivint
corn and wheat. She made me feel my
self Of Importance by giving me thus tn,
mastery over my own little domain; an,
she brought up her own meals to ca
with me in the room where my infirmit,
held me n prisoner.
You must understand what Ruth wa
to me, or you will never understand tn
simple story have set myself to tellin,
you. She taught me to use my righ
hand without my left; and II you want b
appreciate the difficulty, tie your LEI
arm down for one single hour, and tr
how often il viii unconsciously strain q
the cords. She brought me books froI
Nlas will A.
old eyes and brain field Of pleasur
never before explored. I had read m
Bible and the newspapers all my life
but / never even knew the names {
books, now my greatest treasures, I'll
Ruth thought reading would be CON
pany" for me. Little Ruth, even sh
me in her loving care for my LONELINESS
When she was busy sbout her hous
work, her baking, her washing and irol
ing, she left all the doors standing opel
that might still hear her CHEEKY voit
as she Gang or talked to me. Thel
when all her work was done, she woul
put clean white apron over her blaC
dress, and sit close beside me, stitchir
busily on the household linen, while
read aloud whatever had most please
me in my morning studies. d Ngl.t
She devised little dainty dishes
tempt me to eat; she put saucers
flowers on my table, that might che
myself into fancying was out doors,
their perfume crept out on the air; 81
assured me, petted me, loved me, t
even my misfortunes seemed blessing
drawing us nearer together.
And when she was all the world to m,
all that saved me from misery, job
Hayes asked me to give him Ruth for h
wife. ! could have struck him des