Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-12-21
RUTH'S ROMANCE.
CHAPTER l.


Here's letter from your aunt Ra-
chel, think Mrs. Nugent said, as she
looked over the letters the postman had
just brought on his morning round. 1t
bears the Winsted postmark.
Ruth took the letter, and went to the
window to read it, wondering what
Aunt Rachel wanted now. She never
wrote unless she wanted something.
1t read:
MY dear niece Ruth: | am lonesome
this summer. | want you TO come and
stay with me month. know that you
can leave those unruly children, if you
will, and the change will do you good.
You need it, feel sure. shall expect
you by the first OF next week. You see
/ am counting on your coming, and
shall be greatly disappointed if you do
not come. | have plans for you, and
you will do well to think twice, or three
times, before making up your mind that
you cant afford it, | know you'll
say that but the truth is, my dear Ruth.
that you cant afford to stay at home.
More than you dream of depends upon
your coming to Winsted this summer.
Your step-mother can get along for a
aunt, your fathers only sister, and
have a right TO you for as much as a
month. insist on exercising that right
now. Jonas will be at the station for
you on Monday evening.
Expecting you, | am your old
AUNT RACHEL.
Ruth read the letter. and straightway
vision of the old Winstead meadows,
and the great hills beyond, both flooded
with the sunshine of a New England
summer day, rose before her. She
could feel the cool. sweet air blowing
about her, and smell the clover, and
hear ring of scythes, as the mowers
sharpened them in the great fields down
by the river.
oh, l would like to GO, she thought
But l don't see how / can afford to!
There! I've said just what Aunt Rachel
predictedr
We'll, Mrs. Nugent said inquiringly
What does she write, Ruth?'
She wants me to come up to Winsted
for month, answered Ruth.
And no one else, exclaimed Mrs.
Nugent, pettishly. Il think never saw
a more selfish woman than your Aunt
Rachel is, Ruth
Aunt Rachel is peculiar admitted
Ruth.
Peculiar should say she was very
peculiar said Mrs. Nugent, rather
scornfully. Il always tried 10 use her
well when she came to visit us. She
has never set foot in the house since
your father died, nor asked me to visit
her. / suppose she thinks the Nugents
were few rounds above the feelings
In the social ladder, and now that your
father is dead, there's no need of her
patronizing me. Id have her to know
that the Fieldings occupied quite as good
a position in society as the Nugents ever
did. II is true that we wern't wealthy,
but we were respectable, and l don't
know of any older family than ours
Except Adams, laughed Ruth. Or
was he Fieldingp'
Ci'You needn't initiate your aunt by
ridiculing my family, said Mrs. Nugent,
loftily, and with sharp accents in her
voice. Il will do your father the justice
to say that he never seemed to think he
had married beneath him.
Il have never heard Aunt Rachel say
that she thought so, said Ruth.
~
so, responded Mrs. Nugent. But if
she doesn't want me to visit her, of
course | don't want to. l never go
where do not think am a welcome
visitor. What else did she writer?
You can read the letter. answered
Ruth, handing it to her.
Mrs. Nugent read it through twice.
Il wonder what her plans are, that
she's so mysterious aboutp' she said, at
last Il think you'd better go, Ruth.
Mrs. Nugent had seen possible advan-
tages to herself resulting from compli-
ance with Aunt Rachel's request on the
part of Ruth. Miss Nugent was wealthy.
Ruth was her only niece. If Ruth
pleased her, she might 'do something
for her. And from whatever she did for
Ruth, Mrs. Nugent expected to reap a
benefit.
You can have a vacation of month
or two, she went on. Il can see that
you need it. OF course there's no tell
ing what her plans are, but they may be
something which will be of great advan-
tage to you. She ought to help you, she
has so much money, and we are so poor.
You have a right to expect she will.
Il don't think so, said Ruth. When
grandfather Nugent died, his property
was equally divided between Aunt
Rachel and father. She has been fortu-
nate, and added TO hers, while father
was SO unfortunate as to lose almost
everything. She was not TO blame for
it, and is under no obligations to help
us, so long, at least. as we can help our
selves
Perhaps not, said Mrs. Nugent, in a
tone that told she was not convinced.
But l should suppose she would help