River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-06-25

guessed It long ago, and you and are
beggars, Ruthie! A pretty set of men
the Vanes have been, to leave two
girls nothing out of such property
She went down into the garden, and
Lord Layton followed her
1t seemed to Ruthie that she would
never get over the shock of the news
concerning the picture. Was she then
so poor, even poorer than she had
feared, and must she labor for her
bread? She could sew eXquisitcly-
but sewing-girls starved. Wen, she
could give music lessons. And when
she had decided this, in the dim
watches of the night. Ruthie fell
asleep.
The next day, Ray announced that
she was going to marry Lord Layton.
He asked me long ago, and | told
him Yes last night, in the garden.
We are going to New York. You can
come with us" she added; cor YOU
can live here. For myself, repudi-
ate the old home and everything there
/ is in it. If Uncle Roc's picture were
/ sold, suppose it would buy us pair
of shoes apiece!
Dear Ray, should like to keep it, -
'You may have 1t, then. | never
want to hear OF it again. Sell it or
keep it, as YOU choose, and everything
else in this dismal old barrack. | ann
provided for; It is only fair that you
should have what there is here
So Ray was married and went away.
and Ruthie remained in the old man
sion OF the Orchards. and gave music
lessons for her bread. She made a
nice little teacher, and every day
golden-haired girls came through the
little garden INTO tue low, broad par
Tor, and chattcd gayly while they
drummed their exercises. Ruthe had
learned herself, and then taught Chloe,
to rub the window paues, clean the
brasSes, and dust the old mahogany
furniture, and, in the chilly fall eve
nIngs, LIsle Staniels would come and
bear her company by the bright hearth
stone of the lonely home
Dear Ruthie, he SAID, 1--WE might
be married if | were not quite 50 poor. -"
~ have a shelter for us both, said
Ruthie.
'And | only bread and cheese and
My practice grows so slowly"
But they thought of the bread and
cheese and kisses untilahey determln-
ed to try them. Ruthic was able to
help her husbands modest income
along by continuing ner music lessons
for nearly a near; then there was Il
little one in her arms, and added eX-
pense.
Poverty is no disgrace, but |, for
one, shall never write poetry to it, :"
said Lisle. ruefully, one day, when the
grocer's and butchers bills both came
due, and he had barely money enough
to buy himself decent new suit in
which to visit his sick.
'Llsle, said Ruthc, walking the
floor with Baby Lis!e. who was teeth
inc and worry ing, There is the pic
ture. | would like to keep it; but |
know how YOU are harassed for money,
and yesterday | asked Chrome 81
Cravon what they would give for it.
They said seven dollars. Let it 90. [
had rather see you relieved than to
keep IT.. =
Chloe brought it and set it against
the wall, upon Il table. The rich coll
ors and @ildcd frame attracted Baby
Isles blue eyes, stopped his crying,
Is
made a sudden plunge upon it with
both chubby extended hands. In
stantly there was a collapse, crash.
The canvas had fallen out of Its frame,
and the floor was covered with strange
gray things.
Money" exclaimed Lisle.
Bank Bills gasped Ruth.
There were hundreds. The back of
the picture had been lined with them,
and a careful search produced a note.
MY DEAR NIECEs. When your
grandfather died he left this money,
not with me. whom he had little
reason L. conlide in as a man of bust
ness, but with old Peggy. 1t was
never to be invested-he had lost
much by unfortunate investments of
his uWu-but was to be divided be-
tween YOU when the elder reached her
twentv-iirst year. 1t has been a great
care and trouble to me since Peggy
died, and | place it here, for the pres
ent. for safe keeping.
9ROSCOE VANE.n
The date was but few daye pre-
vious TO his death. None who knew
Roscoe Nane could doubt that the
possession of so large a sum of money
was a source of great discomfit to
him. His life annuity which had
supported the household-ha per-
ished with him. He had had little use
for money himself. and no wish for it.
Ruthic instantly wrote to Ray,
prutfiering her half the sum now in her
hands, but Ray replied that, as she
had repudiatcd the picture, she felt
that she had no claim to that. In
fact. she did not need it-thev were
prospecting, and Buthie might keep it.
Aud Ruth kept also the old picture,
which, with its story, is an heirloom.