Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-12-28
RUTH'S ROMANCE.
CHAPTER Ill.

on her way TO Winsted.
Nothing TO think of but rest for a
whole month, she thought, "a she look
ed ont upon the fields which stretched
away in either hand. under a cloudless
sky flooded with sunshine. What
energy | shall take back TO my work
with mel | must hoard up enough
strong. healthy country life 10 last me
through the winter. | wonder if it can I
be done, on the same principle we can
up fruit and keep il fresh for winter
use?'
Winsted was an old town. You SEEM
ed to have got out of the world you had
been used to living in, into one in every
way.different. The air was redolent
of peace-a kind of Sabbath quietness
over everything.
How pleasant il would be to have
such place to come to, when weary
with the worlds work thought Ruth.
rs the afternoon hours wore away, and
she knew she was nearing her destina-
ton, "a place and time for work, and
aplace and time for rest
The sun was close 10 the hilltops
when the conductor sang ont Win
stedr
She gathered up her bags and bundles,
and was ready TO get off when the train
stopped.
'Ah. there Is Jonas, with the carryall,'
she said as she reached the platform.
His face is as good-humored and home
" as ever. How do you do, Jonas?'
reaching ont her hand to the awkward,
half-bashful countryman who shufiled
that way to meet her with broad grin
on his face.
Purity well, thank ye," answered
Jonas. taking her hand gingerly, as il
half afraid of it. BE YOU smart, Miss
Ruth? Seems ter me We look kinder
pindlin'.
Ruth. City air don't give us such
healtny-looking faces as you have in
the country, but we continue to stand
a good deal of hard work there. How
is Aunt Rachel this summer? She didn't
write a word about her health, so took
it for granted that she was well as
usual.
We'll, | dunno about that, answered
Jonas, as he picked up Ruth's bundles
and led the way 10 the carryal. She
may be, an then ag'in she may not
be. i cant say, bein as she never
complains; but I've noticed fer q spell
back that she looks kinder tired out, an
/ know she's been ter see Doctor Green
once or twice this spring. Billyus, like
enough. l advised her ter take some
dandelyun tea. My mother, she used
to reckon that as the beatin's of any
thing in the med cine line fer billyus-
ness. Dunno whether Miss Nugen'
tried il or not
1T seems to me that she must get lone
some here, living so entirely alone as
she does, said Ruth. Il could
stand it for while, but to live
here from year to year. as she does-I
couldn't do it! ! should stagnate!'
oh it's all in gittin' used ter it, said
Jonas, helping her into the old-fashion-
ed vehicle. You couldn't stan her
way o Twin, its so quiet; an she
couldn't stan your'n, it's so rattle-te-
bang. She was allus different from mos
folks, anyway. Never cared to go no
where, nor much bout hevin' comply
Reckon it'll be jest gay here this sum-
mer, with two young folks.
'TwoH exclaimed Ruth, in surprise.
who is the other one, Jonas?'
Il dunno his name,' answered Jonas.
His father was yer amt Rachel's cous-
in. an I've heerd say'--here Jonas
dropped his voice to low and confden-
tial key 1--we heerd say as how she sot
good 'eal by him; but he didn't seem
to take fancy to her. and married off
out west. She's invited his son to come
an make her a visit, an she expec's
him ev'ry day, now
She never limited at expecting any
visitor but myself, said Ruth. j won
der whyp Perhaps she was afraid 7
would not come if knew was to meet
a stranger. But if his father and mine
were cousins, we will not seem like
strangers to each other.
No, that's even sc" said Jonas.
Relashun's relashun. il it is good
ways off She hasen seen him; but
his latner an she, they've writ quite
ofen, all along, or did till his father
died, las winter. II she did set by the
oil man, rs I've heerd say, she prob'ly
thinks she'll like the young one, fer old
times sake"
Ruth looked across the valley, golden
Will bunott, liltlt udu
been romance in aunt Rachels lifep
perhaps, all these years, while she had
lived alone in the old homestead, she
had been true TO love which had borne
for her no blossoms of fruition. 1t was
inexpressively sad to think of a lonely
woman, like aunt Rachel, cherishing for
more than score of years such re-
membrance as hers must be. Ruth
found tears upon her lashes when she
reused herself from the reverie into
which she had fallen, while thinking of
the romance she had never suspected in
Rachel Nugent's life.
"Here we be- said Jonas, refining old
Whiteface up to the gate of low, ram
bling house, half hidden under great
elm trees, and behind lilac bushes fifty
years old. "You run right in now, Miss