Morris tribune., 1882-06-22
IN DANGER.

ClmeS, tlen Start6Q SLOWLY 1Or tle nouSe,
while Ruth swung idly in her hammock
in the shade of the live oak, and / ex-
claimed:
'"Think what you are doing, Ruth.
He is not happy moment without you.
He loves you so that the thought of not
being able to sail with you brings on a
fever turn, and you know that he had a
hemorrhage the last time you went rid
ing without him. His life is bouud up
in you"
81 know it, aunty, so shall 60 riding
and sailing no more"
"But such devotion will surely de-
ceive him."
"When he came to us, with his doom
plainly writtenin everyfeature, Iresolved
ed that if could not nurse him back to
the life he so much loves, his last days
should be as happy as possible"
Suppose he dies deceived, believing
that you loved him-believing lie?"
"Don't you think when he sees no
more through a glass darkly' that he will
understand"
"But should he recover, do you think
IL
had taken all hope and brightness from
it?"
"Iassure you that his Happiness should
be, then as now, my first and only object"
"Ruth," 1 excl lined aghast, 'syou
would not marry him with no love to
give him-loving..another as you do!''
She raised herself slowly on her ell
bow, her beautiful brown eyes looking
steadily through the long lashes wet
with tears, and said.
"My life is something that I do not
prize, but by dying [ cannot give him
life, so if by living can make his life
happy, why not? Whatever is for his
happiness that shall do. Now I'll go
and watch the sunset with him."
satstill under the spreading branches
of the great old oak and watched the
swollen river which seemed trying to
force its way through the great wall of
earth that confined it to its course, and
thought of the beauuful girl who had
Just left me.
When Maj. Grant had come to us, sick
and apparently dying, she had just met
the first great sorrow of her life. A mis-
understanding had arisen between her
self and Frank Russell, to whom she had
given all the loving devotion of her
warm heart, and by the interference OF
her friends the lovers quarrel became a
serious matter, and the engagement was
broken.
She believed herself deceived and cast
aside for another, and life not worth the
living, but she was proud, and lived on
5ravely, making no moan.
Maj. Grant had lost his health by ex-
posure during his army life, but would
not for moment doubt his entire re-
covery. He was always better. He
clung to Ruth-was never happy wher
she was absent and built castle after castle
in the air when beside her. And now
| the two were watching the sunset
one believing the sun of her life had al
ready set in clouds and darkness, and
| the light was fast falling for the other
| she turning in dismay and dread from
the life before her-he longing and
| striving for the life that was fast slipping
| from him.
A bunch of gray moss swung smartly il
| my face, and reused me to the fac
| that the wind was rising, for added to the
muttering of the river was the moaning
| of the pines. / walked hastily to the
| levee. Everybody was there, working
or watching, for should a jet of watel
force its way through undiscovered, /;
crevasse was certain and obstruction
| sure.
There was great danger that the levet
could not withstand the force of the
water without the wind, but with cal,
it seemed hopeless.
| 1t was yearly danger to which every
one had become accustomed, SO that M
! plans were changed, and all amusement
went on as gaily as if obstruction did no
threaten every home for miles around
and our nearest neighbors had invited
us to attend a country wedding with then
| that night. Ruth hesitated about leav
ing her invalid, but he urged her to 60
assuring her there was no danger what
ever $50 when we heard the call at th,
gate, "Oh, Miss Ruth, are you ready
we threw on our wraps and started
| gloves in hand
| We drove beside the levee, but the an
| cry rush of the river and the rising wine
seemed to occasion no uneasiness in otl1
companions. The house to which We
Were going stood on a point of land
which the river had encroached upon
year after year until it was almost an isl
and, and it seemed the whole planta
ton would be washed away. / coult
only wonder at the gayety of my com
panions, and divert my mind from M,
own fears, asked:
| stHas Miss Dora been long engaged?'
''Yes, five years. The wedding da,
has been fixed twice before; guests invit
ed, the cake ready, and the bridal vel
waiting to be put on. The first tim,
Dora was sick, SO very sick it seemed
impossible that she could live through
that day, but as soon as the hour for the
Il o1, -,
prove. The next time the groom fel
and broke his leg an hour or two befor,
he should have been married."
| How strange!"
s.Well, Dora is the last one of an old
old family. She had an old nurse wht
saw visions and foretold coming ev ents
who told Dora that She would never bt
a wife or mother, and she has almost be
gan to believe it. She says if she fails thi
time she will never try again
20 here we are? Back up and dunn
your load" And amid much noise AM
chattering we scrambled to the groun,
and shook out our crumpled dresses.
| We were received by a beautiful whit,
! haired old lady who kissed us all ane
made us welcome. After a glance at th,
bare hands about us we slipped ou
gloves into our pockets and were ushere,
into the parlor and joined one Of the tw
| lines that set facing each other for tn
ceremony to- begin. The white haire,
old lady sat beside Ruth, who had evi
IDENTIFY taken her fancy. / could SET
that the sweet-faced matron was tellin
my little girl the story of her owl
daughters misadyenturous love tina
was soon to be crowned with happ,
fruition. Had she OWNED that m.
Ruth was heart-sore and sick because o
love? think SO.
| The guests waited awkwardly as peo
pie gathered from far and near are won
to do. The servants moved officiousl.
| about to save the appearance of delay
/ At length the hostess, with the slightes
| flush ofannoyance on her fair face, lei
Ruth to devote herself to others. Rutl
came over where was standing by a
| open window, aud putting her hand q
my shoulder turned her face from tn
light and said:
nOh, aunty, am SO miserable. VIII
is it that every one else may be happ,