The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-24

81 will be true son to you, Mr.. Mar
tin" he said, earnestly. 81 will never
take Ruth from here; but let me come
and share her life, and lift some of the
burdens from her shoulders"
/ laughed bitterly. knew well what
such sharing would be when Ruth had
husband, and perhaps children, to take
her time and her love from me. But l
was not harsh. / did not turn this
suitor from my house, and bid him never
speak to Ruth again, much as L longed
to do it. 1 worked more cautiously. 1
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, |
worked upon her love and her sense of
duty till she believed herself monster
of ungrateful wickedness to think of leav-
ing me or taking any divided duty upon
her hands.
wept, asked her If she could face her
lead mother after deserting her helpless
father. pointed out to her the unceas-
ing round of wifely duty that would keep
her from my side, and proved to her that
the duties of wife and child must clash,
il undertaken 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 garnered-
when our crops were blessed and the lit
tie bank fund was increased by the price
of the farm produce-Ruth gIew very
quiet and subdued. She was not sad,
| having always O. CHEEKY word and pleas
{sx,f
| left her round cheeks, and i no longer
heard her singing at her work. When /
read the best pages in my books to her,
| 1 would see her eyes fixed dreamily on
some far-away thought, her work lying
idle, till she woke with a start at my
fretful questions.
For 1 grew fretful and trying in those
days. / WANTED her to give mp woman S
dearest hopes and sweetest affections,
and be the same sunshiny Ruth she was
before my hand tore away her love
dreams. wanted her to put away all
the loving tender ties of wifehood and
motherhood, and pass her life in devo-
ton at the armchair Of a paralyzed old
man. And when she complied, with
gentle, touching submission, then I
wanted her to be the bright, happy girl,
who had resigned nothing, and who
could nurse sweet girlish fsncies, with
John for hero. An unreasonable old
tyrant, wasn't /?
The winter came in early that year,
and before Christmas everything was
frozen up tight, and the cold was intense.
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 the way to school that day, and
were found, stiff and stark, leaning
against the fences. Food froze on the
tables. Ask anybody in Maine if they
remember that black Friday, and see i
some mothers' eyes will not fill as they
think of the little scar1et-hooded figures
brought to their doors, white and rigid
that had lifted rosy, round cheeks for 6
kiss only few hours before.
On this cold Friday, Ruth hurried
through her work in the morning, max
ing my room the warmest place in the
house, covering my armchair with sof
woolens. and moving it near the stove
I would have it face the window, for my
glimpse of outdoor life was too preciou.
to resign; but / was not, as usual, neal
it, for Ruth said there might be /,
draught.
When all was done indoors, I saw from
my chair Ruth, with scarlet cloak ant
hood thrown over her, going to the wei
with an empty bucket. She stepped
along quickly over the hard, frozel
ground, and was admiriDg the trim
little feet and the dainty figure, when
saw her slide to the two steps that wer
above the well walls and fall. She hat
slipped, and she lay doubled up between
the two wooden steps and the rough side
of the well, as if she could not rise. Tw,
or three times her hands clutched th,
lower step, and she raised herself hal
way up, only to fall back again, as if he
limbs would not support her.
And could only look on, powerless T.
move to aid her. Oh, the agony of ii
To know she was hurt, unable to rise
and / helpless as log. screamed ant
called for help. Silas was somewhere,
could not tell where, and I called loudl,
for him. could see, after q time, tina
Ruth, after her frantic struggles, wa
growing drowsy with the death sleep O
cold. The scarlet hood dropped NOR
and more, till it rested against the well
side, and the blue-veined lids closed owe
.. her eyes. The sight called from M
such cry of agony as I thought mus
be heard for miles.
It was heard. A moment later JOIN
Hayes, painting and eager-eyed, burs
open my door. a
"what is it2" he cried. 81 heard yol
; calling on the road"
! 'rRuthl Ruthp I screamed. "She j
freezing to death by the WE'LL" ~
He stopped to hear no more. Out M
!, !, on the hard, slippery ground, down til
steps with swift, rapid strides, an
. then saw him stodp and lift the littl
scarlet cloaked figure in his strong arm
and come swiftly back, bending his fac
down over the senseless one on his arm
while hot tears rained down his brow
: cheeks. He put her on q lounge nes
!, my chair, and then dashed out for snov
"Rub her, rub herr he said. 81 al
y going for doctor and for my mother
e Before it seemed possible he corll
a have crossed the lots to his home, h
u mother was with me, and lifted Rut
!, away from the fire to the bed. The do
a tor came, and the two worked till m
:, heart sank with utter hopelessness b
= fore the blue eyes opened again, or I'll
9 breath fluttered through the pale lip
= But it did at last, and John joined N
e in a fervent "Thank GodI'
d But Ruth had broken her leg, and v
Vt knew she must lie helpless for maj
y weeks before she could be our own activ
bright girl again. 1t was an appallir
ls truth for me to face, but she was n
10 dead, not lying frozen against the roue
g well curb, and 1 couldnot but feel than
It fulness far; far above the pain OF knot
q :, ing her suffering; l was trying to sett tt
y doctor words, while Mrs. Hayes and IL
1t doctor lifted Ruth to her own room, tn
m opened into mine. They were away
" long time, and John sat beside me, hol
70 ing my hand in his, and comforting Il