The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-06-22
IN DANGER.

"NIiss Ruth, major says it's jes' on ter
shutdown, an tole me to ak was he ter
come out yere?"
''TeE him I'll come in, Cappie." Cap
spun around on her bare toes a few
times, then started slowly for the house,
while Ruth swung idly in her hammock
in the shade of the live oak, and I ex-
claimed:
'"Think what you arc doing, Ruth.
He is not happy Il moment without you.
He loves you so that the thought of not
being able to sail with you brings on u
fever turn, and you know that he had Il
hemorrlage the last time you went rid
ing without him. His life is bound up
in your
81 know it, aunty, so shall go riding
and sailing no more"
But such devotion will surely de-
ceive him."
"When he came to us, with his doom
plainly written in eycryfeature, l resolved
ed that if could not nurse him back to
the life he SO much loves, his last days
should be as happy rs possible"
Suppose he dies deceived, believing
that you loved him-bclieving 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
he would thank you for his life if you
had taken all hope and brightness from
it?''
II assure you that his Happiness should
be, thenas now, my first and only object"
"Ruth," I excl 'imed aghast, ''you
would not marry him with no love to
give him-loving..anothcra 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 l cannot give him
life, so if by living l can make his life
happy, why not? Whatever is for his
happiness that I 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 it's way through the great wall of
earth that confined it to its course, and
thought Of the beautiful girl who had
ltlSt I'LL liz.
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
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
5rayely, 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
chung to Ruth-was never happy when
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 failing for the other;
she turning in dismay and dread from
the life before her-he longing and
striving for the life that was fast sli tipping
from him.
A bunch of gray moss swung smart1y in
my face, and reused me to the fact
that the wind was rising, for added to the
OF the pines. / walked hastily to the
levee. Everybody was there, working
or watching, for should jet of water
force its way through undiscovered, a
crcVasse was certain and obstruction
sure.
There was great danger that the levee
could not Withstand the force of the
water without the wind, but with gale
it seemed hopeless.
1t was a yearly danger to which every
one had become accustomed, SO that no
plans were changed, and all amusclnents
went on as gaily as if obstruction did not
| threaten every home for miles around,
and our nearest ncighbors had invited
! us to attend country wedding with them
that night. Ruth hesitated about leay-
ing her invalid, but he urged her to 60,
assuring her there was no danger what
ever; SO when we heard the call at the
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 wind
| seemed to occasion no uneasiuess in our
companions. The house to which we
| were going stood on point of land
which the river had encrOachcd upon
| year after year until it was almost an ISL
| and, and it seemed the whole planta-
ton would be washed away. / could
| only wonder at the gayety Of my COM
panions, and divert my mind from my
| own fears, asked:
HAS Miss Dora been long engaged?"
Eyes, five years. The wedding day
! has been fixed twice before; guests inyit-
| ed, the cake ready, and the bridal veil
waiting to be put on. The first time
Dora was sick, SO very sick it seemed
| impossible that she could live through
that day, but as soon as the hour for the
wedding was passed she began to i'm
| prove. The next time the groom fell
and broke his leg an hour or two before
he should have been married."
GLOW strange"
well, Dora is the last one of an old j.,
| old family. She had an old nurse who
saw visions and foretold coming ev ents,
who told Dora that she would never be
gan to believe it. She says if she fails this
time she will never try again."
~ here we are? Back up and dump
your load" And amid much noise and
chattering we scrambled to the ground
and shook out our crumpled dresses.
We were received by a beautiful white
haired old lady who kissed us all and
made us welcome. After glance at the
bare hands about us we slipped our
| gloves into our pockets and were ushered
into the parlor and joined one of the two
lines that set facing each other for the
ceremony to begin. The white haired
old lady sat beside Ruth, who had evil
IDENTITY taken her fancy. l could see
that the sweet-faccd matron was telling
my little girl the story of her own
daughters misadventurous love that
was soon to be crowned with happy
fruition. Had she OWNED that nv
Ruth was heart-sore and sick because of
| love? I think SO.