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

aer. and her brother, many years her
senior, was stern and bitter in his re-
sentiment. -
They were proud OF their name,
their position and their wealth; and
they never forgave this only daughter
and sister that she LETT them for man
of obscure parentage and without
means to support her as they had
done. Ny father, at that time, was
clerk il dry goods house in New York,
with small salary.
II would not wrong my mother; but
my uncle said she grew peevish and
soured by the contact with poverty, and
constantly fretted for the luxuries she
had voluntarily resigned. My father
worshiped her. It might have been his
loving desire to crafty her, or sudden
greed for wealth, | cannot tell but he
forged his employers check for twenty
thousand dollars. Mother was too little
acquainted with business to question
the sudden influx of money; but the
crime was detected, my father arrested,
tried, convicted and sent to the States
prison for term of years. He died
there in six months; but my mother
had already preceded him to the grave.
'Her last wish, her last appeal, was to
my grandfather and uncle, begging
them to pay the money and clear my
| fathers name. They refused. After
she died they took me home, and l
never knew want but they Ignored
and repudiated my father, though my
uncle believed lie died truly penitent
man. ~
''In my uncIe's desk, after he died,
found the papers relating to the fePgery
and my poor mothers passionate
appeals to him to pay the money SO
wrongfully taken. She took allsblame
upon herself, repenting, when too late,
her repining and discomfort, and her
extravagant expenditure of the stolen
money.
My first impulse was to yield to her
prayer, even after SO many years, and
pay at once the amount of the forged
check still in the hands of the firm who
employed my father. but my uncle prob
ably knew what I would desire, for he
SO wllled his money to me that / can
never touch the principal. Frank, with
my mothers letters before me, [ vowed
never to spend one dollar in any luxury
one cent more than the merest neces-
sites required-,sntil the debt was paid
that haunted her deathbed. For six
years have saved all my income add
ing to it portion of the rent Of the
house my uncle left me. I have Jared
poorly, dressed plainly, and added little
by little to my hoard by closest economy
and care"
"Poor child! What life -
II was not unhappy. Martha knew
all, and was far more friend than servant,
and when my friends gave me upl
thought of my mother, and was com
forted."
''But you say yo1t are free, Ruth."
81 am free. I SEM the money to the
firm last week, and to-day, only today,
I have received and DESTROYED the check,
the last proof of my fathers crime. The
gentleman wrote me such a letter,
Frank, that am sure they will always
respect my secret"
"Oh, if l had only been here, Ruth,
to give vou home and protection, tc
make your life happy by my love, while
you saved your own means for you,
holy purpose,
st could not have been, Frank. ]
would have never burdened your life
with my duty to the dead. ,"
"But now, Ruth? You are free now,
and you will be mine. Mine to cherish
and protect Mine to guard from all
want and all sorrow in the future"
Frank Frank you forget" Ruth
cried, her face deathly pale, her large
dark eyes dilated with pain.
Forget -
Il am not the happy child you left
/ am called miser, an avaricious, ,&harc
woman, whose sordid soul looks fol
nothing beyond money. / am thrus
cut. Of society for my mean dress, ant
NJ old friends pass me by
a good reason for one to hold yor
last
II am not even Rath Wexford, Frank
hut Ruth Mavburn, the child Of a de
:ec,el forger, who died in the Stat4
prison" :
For answer he took her into his arms
folding her c.ose. and looking into be
earnest eyes with very loving, tendeI
ones.
You ere Ruth" he said, truly no
tna careless child / left, but woman I,
be hoaored for the noble sacrifice of 81,
!oEg years. Yen are the Ruth whom
love, and whose love hold to be II
! crowning blessing Of my life. Take IL
other names ont OF your poor, bruise
hart. love, a2i let me print one tbe-
): il their place, calling yon R1ta, L
VIE"
There was lo explanation given eve