The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-06-17

ton of love for her than usual, told That
he was under the influence of wine, but
the fact only seemed to enhance his power
of fascination. Never was he SO brilliant,
never SD handsome. Almost could Ruth
have laughed at the sermons preached
by the temperance folks of the harm sure
to follow wine-drinking.
If the story could end here, the true
story of Ruth Holly's life. it would be
almost happy one, but alas, the sunny
slope adown which it seemed SO easy to
slide, daily grew darker as the years flew
on How they began to tell her the fate
before her, Ruth hardly knew
A little flush of shame came first when
his step was unsteady and his voice too
loud. Then grieved tear or two when
he was unreasonable. Then sorrow
that kept her heart aching night and
day, for the man who first won inspir-
alton from the glass now lost 1T III Its
depths; lectures to be delivered were not
given to the expectant public because
''of the illness of the lecturer
Ruth knew what that illness meant,
and tried to hide it. Literary work was
neglected also. Money was lost that
might have been easily won. Debts
grew and credits lessened, the handsome
suite of rooms was exchanged for one
quite shabby. Ruths dress became
poverty-stricken her husband was ont
at the elbows and ut the toes-he was in
toxcated from morning until night, and
yet she loved him and chung to him,
and in his sober moments he loved
her as fondly as ever. Sometimes
the old strength and the old
hope would be aroused in him
and he would struggle to regain his
lost position, but it was all in vain,
rum triumphed, and III five years from
her wedding day Ruth found herself
with her one remaining child, the first
having died within year of its birth, in
the dingiest of wretched tenement
houses, in state bordering upon beg
gary.
Edward had been more madly intoxi-
Gated than ever before; he had even
given her blow, and now, as the night
wore on, he muttered and raved and
called for brandy. and cursed her and
himself until she trembled with fear.
At last, rs the clock struck 10, he
started to his feet and staggered out
of the room, vowing to get drunk some
where.
Poor Ruth stood where he had left her
for few moments. The memory of the
past was strong on her that night. Just
at this hour five years before they had
He'd from her fathers home together.
How tender he was, how loving,
how gentle How he vowed that
she would never regret that night, and
how had he kept those promises? He
had broken every vow--he neither cher
lshed non protected her. His worldly
goods he had given to the ravenous de-
mon, drink, his love had become some
thing scarcely worth having. and yet
she loved him and chung to him She
tried to feel cold and hard toward him.
but she could not; she strove to remem-
Der the blow lie had given her, the oaths
he had uttered, but she answered herself
as she did so, SIT was not him who did
tit was rum" She listened to the
uncertain, Keeling footsteps in the street
below and burst into tears.
My poor darling" she whispered, as
she thought some grievous calamity had
smitten him into the thing he was, and
he had not himself put an enemy Ill his
mouth to steal away his brain. unmind-
full OF her pleading, unmindful Os her
woe and of her shame. She Thought of
him Keeling helplessly along the street,
and feared that some harm would come
to him. He might fall i'll some ont-of-
theway place and lie there undiscovered
and SO freeze TO death that bitter night,
and in her agony of terror poor Ruth
could not restrain herself from following
him.
Her poor weakly baby slept; she
wrapped it in blanket and laid Vt In
its poor cradle. Then she threw her
warm shawl over her bead, and fastened
down the street, busy this late Saturday
night with market-going people Of the
poorer classes.
A little way before her reeled the
broad-shouldered figure of
her husband, and she, lady bred and
born, fastidioas, elegant, accomplished,
reared in luxury, heard poor laborers'
wives warn their children to beware of
the drunken fellow
She heard course laughs at his, ex-
pense, and under the shadow Of her
shawl her cheek burnt holly, but for all
that she never thought of going back
and leaving him to himself. AS soon us
she could she gained his side and called
to him by name:
Edward! Edwardt
He turned and stood unsteadi8y look
ing Mt her III a bewildered way.
''You?" he said. "You ought TO be
at home this time of night.
80 ought we Doth," said Ruth.
'Come, dear"
He threw her hand off.
I'm my own master" he said 'sFm
not tied to any woman's apron string!"
and staggered away again, Ruth follow
ing through the long streets with every
face turned toward them as they passed
some laughing, some cOntemptuous,
some terrified; out at last upon the
wharves, and there the besotted man sat
down more stupefied by the liquor he
had swallowed. in that fresh, cold air.
Ruth was thinly clad-the chill of the
sea-blast seemed to reach her very heart.
She thought of the babe at home and
tears coursed down her cheeks. Again
and again she pied with the mad man
at her side. Again and again she tried
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