Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-07-04

she Will DC catch some day for for
trine-huuter If she continues to live a
miscr's Ife, ls,t l imagine you would
prefer less sordid soul, even if its DOS.
SCISSOR had not one dollar to call her
own"
"Tou are right, am rich enough to
care nothing for wife's dover, but I
cannot realize little Ruth sordid, miserly'
and grasping | must call once, Lilly
Perhaps the dream of six long wears
may he shattered By the reality of such
:, change, but it will be a bitter wax
ing"
"Did you love her so mach. FraaL 2"
$50 much that ] asked her uncle>to
let me nope to win her love in return.
+ He told me she was such a mere child
he did not wish her studies interrupted
or her mind disturbed then, but that if
| loved her on my return, he would not
| oppose ray wooing. / was not rich
man then, Lil., only possessing what
was an easy income for single man, so
/ acquiesced in his decision. But the
| fortune / have made was made for her,
and the hope of six years has been that
on coming home to find her free, and my
little, loving Ruth. She did love me,
Lily, though she scarcely knew what
love meant. WE'LL" and he sighed
| heavily, 81 had better have stayed here
kept my secret, thinking she would be
here last night to give me welcome
home; but you know now why my heart
was not at your party, Ll., though I
was SO glad to meet old friends"
Mrs. Hale had no word to express her
deep sympathy. She pressed her lips
softly upon the handsome face,
shadowed by her story, and Frank, re-
turning the mute caress, rose and left
the room. It was agony to wait now.
Better to have the final wrench and 90
on his way again without the lost hope.
He nerved himself to see slatternly
woman in q squalid house, and by the
time he reached the cottage to which
'Iily directed him, he would have
scarcely been surprised if he had met
Ruth i'll rags, selling matches or beg
ging pennies.
But the little cottage before which he
paused, at last, though sufficiently
strong contrast to the Wexford place
where he had last seen Ruth, looked
cozv and homelike. The garden was
neatly kept and we'll filled with late fall
flowers. An old woman answered his
knock, and ushered him into tiny par
lor, where the plain furniture, cheap
carpets and inexpensive ornaments were
IN exquisite order, and where a little
cottage piano stood open in one corner.
Before he had waited moment little
figure in print dress and linen collar,
with short glossy curls, and fair sweet
face, came into the room.
lie forgot his sister, the painful story,
everything but the fact that Ruth
was there. A graver, paler Ruth than
the one he had left, but the one woman
in the worldwide could stir his heart to
its core.
Ruth !" he cried, springing forward,
and then drawing back, for there was nc
welcome in the face he loved, only a
look Of suppressed pain.
Ruth, are you not glad to see me %
he cried.
Glad p she murmHred, and then the
forced calmness broke down and the
tears rained down her cheeks. "Glad p
she cried again. "Oh, Frank, l have
lost every friend, and you will 60, too,
when you know all y
81 have heard" he began.
"You have heard Of my stinginess,
my misery habits-yes, see you have
and yet you are here %
because [ an sure you have some
good reason for yoar conduct. Tell me
you are not changed, Ruth -
IL scarcely know"
when we parted" he said, ''vou
knew the hope III my heart. Ruth. Tel
me now if the love you promised me i;
mine =
1T is all yours, Frank, but" and
she drew back from the embrace h(
would have given-"you may throw i
away when you hear my secret. / have
hidden it from every one but you, bu
today l am freed from bondage Of 81,
long years. and you have right to heal
what shall confiie to no one else. Yor
will not bctray my sorrowful secret
Frank 2"
"Whatever trus; YOU put in No shall
be sacred, Ruth, ne answered, gravely
aved by a solemnity upon her face au(
IN her voice
There was silence in the little parlo
for some moments before the low, swee
voice was heard again Then steadily
without falterng. Ruth told her story
: when you LEI. me, Frank, careless
happy child, the shadow of what I mus
tel you now had not fallen across n,
lie. I knew that | was an orphan, ant
that my mother died away from he,
home ard friends. But | was still
mere baby when Uncle Wellford came