Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-09-05
SO q shall not do ii again Ruth
cried I'd sooner 90 through q wilder

u6SSs
But that is not the shortest az. = he
went on; it is much nearer by the
coach house. Here let me show you. 2
| OH, I couldn't think of troubling
you. Thank you, but you'll get wet,
yourself, S' @
Since 7 have undertaken it, it |" an
swered Mr.. Halo, as if apologizing to
himself for his concession; and with the
words he spread his neat umbrella and
walked with her. It was only two min
utes. The path he took was shorter,
and Miss Bennett hurried all she could.
She spoke no word till she reached the
Alexander hedge; then she said as hasti-
y: q am very much obliged and Il
shall not trespass again. = &, i ss&
"a pretty little girl, ]" Mr.. Hale said.
to himself as he watched her flying
toward the shelter OF the porch. Mrs.
Alexander's goVerness! Hum!" But
what this last word meant III his
thought he could hardly have told.
Peraps it only reminded him that his
three motherless children would soon
be needing one. :. - .@ III -. III.
| Miss Bennett, Mrs, Alexander said
week later" where did you meet Mr..
Hale? He seems to know you; and
last night at the garden PARTY he
deigned to say that if it would save you
time and fatigue, you might so through
the park. He has noticed you, per-
haps coming up from tine village"
And when Ruth had told her story, she
lifted her eyebrows little. 'It's a
CONCESSIONS great concession from
| him." she said.
but 1 don't want it." cried Ruth,
I'D rather go miles around now. You
can't think how his manner Inundated
me. I felt as though I'd committed the
objectionable sim"
| Mrs Alexander smiled at her vehe-
mence, but she had her own reasons for
not encouraging it,"
: "Its quite on another footing now,
since he permits it," she said, "and
really I wish you would. Since the
hot weather came + notice you are
sometimes very tired with the walk.
Anything that will save your strength for
your work, you know" And to chat
Ruth yielded.
She need not have been so fierce
about it, she said to herself, after q
week. She had the park all to herself,
and it was certainly pleasanter than the
dusty road. AT first she hurried through
as if dragon haunted every bush; but
gradually she moderated her pace, and
at last she made it gentle saunter and
even stopped on the brink of the little
stream which crossed one end Of the
park to cool her hot head IN it's breath
of freshness, and soothe her eyes in the
soft green depths of the wood beyond.
| Once or twice she saw Mr. Hale's chill
dren with their French nurse in the
distance, once Mr. Hale himself met
! her, touched his hat stiffiy, and stood
! aside to let her pass. She wondered
| afterward if he expected her to thank
| him for his great concession. But the
burden of gratitude was not overwhelm-
ing to her proud little heart.
But 8 few days later she met him
again, and this time she repented enough
to give him very frank smile and greet
ing. She felt like smiling. on all the
world that day, this poor little govern
ess who had youth and hope as her por-
ton, and was content Herewith. Per-
haps letter which she had thrust into
her pocket at sight of h1m-a letter she
had herself taken from the Office and
fingered under the trees to read--had
something to DO with her radiant face
just then.
"You find this way much pleasanter
than the road, Miss Bennett?" Mr..
Hale said, made affable by that smile.
Very much pleasanter, thank you,"
Ruth answered, demurely..
II might perhaps allow others to go
through" he went on, IF I could be
sure they would not abuse the liberty.
But it is always dangerous to give peo-
pie an inch; they take in all instead"
ooh, I've no doubt you are quite in
the right from your side Of the mat
ter" Ruth answered, and if there was
tho faintest touch of irony in her li1ni-
tation, Mr.. Hale did not see it.
Certainly I am ia the right,
he decl AIRED, in his most mag
gisterial manner; but having thus,
so to speak asserted his dignity,
he sought to unbend and be prop
erly graciors to so discreet person as
she had proved herself. Ruth answered
all his remarks with proper modesty,
deepening the good impression she had
already made, and forgot all about him
when she had crossed the hedge.
But the next day, as she sauntered
along the path, sudden sharp cry
startled her-a childs CRY for help. Tt
came from the river bank, and as she
ran towards it she understood it's mean
ing. The Youngest of the children, the
little heir of the house, had slipped and
fallen into the stream. The nurse was
running up and down, wringingher
hands. and the two children were
screaming for help. The water was not
deep, but child can drown in very lit
tie, and when she had reached the bank
he had gone under for the second time.
Run to the house for help" she
cried to the children; but even
as she spoke she had herself seized
the readiest means of aid, and was
climbing down the bank. It would ruin
her dress-even then she thought of
that-but she waded in braveiy, half
supporting herself by clinging to vine
that curtained the slope. It might give
way--it certainly would If the boy
struggled and she lost her balance; but
it was the best she could do. She was
not conscious of any special heroism.
Other people would doubtless come to
pull them both out later, but the
moments were precious, and the child
and here be came up again, just out Of
her reach. She dropped the VINE, took
the step needed to catch him. and fell
with him to the muddy bottom.
"a Ruth Bennett was chiefly concious OF
her ruined dress and ud-bespattered