Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-06

ST. laughed bitterly. l knew well
what such sharing would be when
Ruth had husband, and perhaps chill
dren. to take her time and her love
from me. But l was not harsh.
did not turn thissuitor from my house,
and bid him never speak to my Ruth
again. much us I longed to do it.
worked more cautiously. I let him
go from me to Ruth. and when he left
her and she came to me, all rosy
bushes, to tell me, with dropping lids
and moist eyes, Of her new happiness,
I worked upon her love and her sense
of duty until she believed herself
monster of umgrateful wickednesS to
think of leaving me or taking any
divided duty upon her hands.
wept, asking her if she could face
her dead mother after deserving her
helpless father. I pointed out to her
the mceasing round of wifely duty
that would keep her from my side,
and proved to her that the duties of
child and wife must clash, if under
taken under such circumstances as
were proposed.
The loving, tender heart yielded to
me, and John was tearfully dismissed.
Through the warm autumn months,
when the corn ripened and was gar
nered-When our crops were blessed,
and the little bank fund was increased
by the price of the farm produce
Ruth grew very quiet and subdued.
She was not sad, having always a
cheerful word or a pleasant smile for
me; but the pretty rose-tint left her
round cheeks. and no longer heard
her singing about her work. When l
read the best pages in my books to
her, l would see her eyes fixed dream
lily on some far-aWay thought, her
work lying idle, till she awoke with
start at my fretful questions.
For 1 grew fretful and trying in
those days. I wanted her to give up
woman's dearest hopes and sweetest
affections. and be the same sunshiny
Ruth she was before my hand tore
away her love dreams. I wanted her
to put away all the loving, tender ties
of wifehood and motherhood. and pass
her life in devotion at the armchair
of paralyzed old man. And when
she complied, with gentle, touching
submission, when wanted her to be
the bright, happy girl who had resigned
everything, and who could nurse sweet,
girlish fancies, with John for hero.
An unreasonable old tyrant, wasn't l?
The winter came in early that year.
and before Christmas everything was
frozen up tight, and the cold was in
tense. We piled up coal in the stoves,
listed doors and windows-that is,
Ruth did the work, and enjoyed the
result; but there came one cold day
one Friday--when it seemed no Goals,
no listing, could conquer the cold.
Children frOZe on their way to school
that day. and Were found, stiff and
stark, leaning against the fences.
Food froze on the tables. Ask any
body in Maine if they remember that
black Friday, and seeif some mothers
eyes will not fill as they think of the
little scarlet-hooded figures brought
to their doors, white and rigid, that
had lifted rosy, round cheeks for a
kiss only a few short hours before.
On this cold Friday, Ruth hurried
through her work in the morning,
making my room the warmest place
in the house. covering my armchair
with soft wOollens, and moving it
near the stove. would have it face
the window, for my glimpse of outdoor
life was too precious to resign; but /
was not, as usual, near it, for Ruth said
there might be draught.
When all was done indoors, saw
from my chair Ruth, with scarlet
cloak and hood thrown over her, going
to the well with an empty bucket. She
stepped along quickly over the hard,
frozen ground, and I was admiring
the trim little feet and the dainty
figure, when / saw her slide to the two
steps that were above the well walls
and fall. She had slipped, and she lay
doubled up between the two wooden
steps and the rough sides of the well,
as if she could not rise. Two or three
times her hands clutched the lower
step, and she raised herself half way
up, only to fall back again, as if her
limbs would not support her.
And could only look on, powerless
to move to aid her. Oh. the agony of
| it! To know she was hurt, unable to
rise. and helpless as log. Iscreamed
and called for help. Silas was some
where, could not tell where, and I
called loudly for him. l could see,
after a time, that Ruth. after her fran.
tic struggles, was growing drowsy
with the death sleep of cold. The
scarlet hood dropped more and more,
till it rested against the well-side. and
the blue-veined lids closed over her
eyes. The sight called from me such
a cry Of agony as | thought could be
heard for miles.
1t was heard. A moment later John
Hayes, painting and eager-eyed, burst
open my door.
"What is it !" he cried. Il heard
you calling on the road
Ruth! Ruth" I screamed.
'She is freezing to death by the
we'll"
He stopped to hear no more. Out
upon the hard, slippery ground, down
the steps with swift, rapid strides,
and then saw him stoop and lift the
little scarlet-cloaked figure in his
strong arms, and come swiftly back,
bending his face down over the sense
less one on his arm, while hot tears
rained down his brown cheeks. He
put her on lounge near my chair, and