Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-06-23
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Mss Ruth's Experiment.

Il never Thought o. ,r, sam Shcrburne
gong to tie ha4. pui he ou the -au4e road
with the Brown so,s. cutting round night,
aud no lalkiu' va. Keep them at home. lhc
shcrbuuc> are 10 bc piurd. iof sam the
onl, one icf'
The hear, 3, dc,,i;ul above al ;h.as,
and desperately wicked" rclurucI the old
.iarrkcvprr .u tone q fullest conviction.
Satan ha, AZ ca>, field .u ;Ae r>.ns gcaer-
alton. II doc, seem "a. u tL, latter day-
we're nigh Al hand WIck,dnc>, crop, au,
~ the lat place sou'd expect ,o tina o. L,
doe, heA, all "a think how the l.owsa,, 5os,
seem 90 be- going.
Ms, Ruth turned away with her pack AZ,
and walked ,v,i'lr down the village street
a tram. daIni, figure in her dark cloth drr.,.
The words rang ln her ears. 1T doe, heat
al 10 think how the loWgAtc bows seem 10
h. gong. Her path led over the common
To square brick house, hauke'l by low
Wing on either side and broad piazza which
held promise Of ,ammer cheer. Great clms
and naples were set ia line. up to the mas
OF outbu.ldings. At the back was an orch
ard. the gnarled and tWIsied apple-trrt,
standing out dark against the evening sky.
Ruth shi,ercd little a. She looked, then
ran up the steps. and. throwing of her
wrapping. on the table in the hall. entered a
room Warmed, and jus, nov lighted. D., au
old fashioned Franklin stove the shining
bras, fender and andiruns cleaning IA the
flashing freight.
so thee hAs come. Ruth" said placid
voice aud Aunt Mercy Dysart looked up
from her knitting and smiled at the glr!.
" ho drew a low char 10 her side and ,st
down with onls an answering smile. \yS.
with the light full upon her face, one could
see that she must be considerably over taen-
" There were grave lines about the
mouth. and her firm chm and broad fore
head needed all the sweetness IA eve and
smile 10 contradict the expression Of stern
Ness.
Proud a. Luclfer." the village people
said. and Ruth. who wanted To he friend,
with all. found il hard to work against this
impression Her WAYS seemed strange and
unfamiliar 10 them, and a flavor of the an-
cient feeling for her house and name still
tinctured present thought and made the old
people say,
shes a Dysart, an what else do YOU look
for but high notions and plenty Of them -
Ruth al length raised her head and turned
to Aunt Merry. who had been looking at
her from time TO time knowing she should
soon hear what the girl had to say.
These two were closest friends. and eX-
changed experiences and opinions With a.
mucn freedom as if forty years did not lie
between them. And Ruth spoke now as if
all that had gone before were perfectly un-
derstood.
I've thought it all out. Aunt Mercy. and
YOU and must do something. We can't let
them go"
We'll. child ?"
81 really believe | should 90 to the bad
myself in the same place. DO you know
that with all my resources-with hundred
things to think about that mean nothing to
them-I get so oppressed with the monot-
Onv, with the intense and horrible dullness,
that want a team to run away, or ANYTHING
to happen that will rouse US one moment
Aunt Mercy, those boys will begin 10 drink
or do anything that will give new SEN
sation and bring q sense of life and by and
by there will be one or two or three more
reckless, swearing. lounging creatures like
the Carsons in the other village. have
begun to believe villages like this are doomed
to destruction, and that New England will
turn to New Ireland unless something is
done to make them places where some real
life can be found. Aunt Mercyw
We'll, child ?"
"Do YOU know, took up an old country
history to-day. Forty years ago there we're
five hundred more people here than now.
Every man has gone West except these old
ones who are almost ready for the next
world. and Just few who hold on because
they We're born here, and whose sons will
get away as fast as they can. Of course the
mill brings certain class, but their lives are
as ioyless as life in treadmill. And yet
here is this lovely country, and these farms
that ought to be homes, and not prisons.
Now, don't you suppose it possible TO stir up
some sense of pride, some patriotism-if
that is the word-something that will make
these bows willing to stay, and will give them
something to think about? Aunt Mercy,
have a new plan. Now listen and see what
you think"
''rea, first, child. and thee may talk after
ward. Thee should be hungry"
II believe | am,' Ruth said, as Linda, the
servant-who, with her husband. George,
was relic of the former Dysart prosperity
opened the door and showed the small
round table laid for two and almost lost In
the great room. which, however, with It's
open fire and the soft light of the student
lamp held its own cheer.
Miss Ruth. she's at her old ways, Linda
said, as she went presently into the kitchen.
"rye been a-wonderin' what she'd find to
take up, but she's get her hands full now"