The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-03-11
A Tale Of Rue.


| NJ eastward over the Old Colon
| GtS road, perhaps there was no
one more thoroughly used up thar
John Coleman, of the law firm o
Coleman d Riggs, Ashland, Mass
From the morning of Novemhe
first, when he had started for Sar
Francisco, till the evening of this
December first, he had been con
stantly on the wing To aggravat'
his fatigue, the trip, in a business
view, had been highly unsatisfacto
ry if not unnecessary.
But as he drew nearer home bis
scowl vanished and the lines about
his firm mouth softened. Stretch
ing his suffering limbs across the
seat he spread a newspaper between
his aching G eyes and the glare of the
bobbing lamps and INDUCED in
tender speculatiOns. How would
Rue look when he appeared before
her next morning, two days earlier
than he had promised2 She might
be watering her plants in the bay
window and he would walk in non
chalantly, as if he had left her the
evening before, and say, "Good-
morning, Rue" and she would drop
her watering pot and rush toward
him, all smiles and bushes, crying,
"Oh, John! John how glad am to
see yonl how I've missed you!"
Dear, warm-hearted, impulsive
little Rue! She certainly was fond
os him. He wished he had never
been such a brute as to reproach
her about Mr. Lynde. Hewas- con-
vinced now that she bad not really
cared for the fellow. She had only
been cordial with him in her free,
girlish way. What charming, ini-
mitable ways she had! The lovers
revery merged into a dream. Mr..
Coleman was unconscious of the
Stacking of the train at B, and
of the entrance of two young gen
tlemen in the seat in front, but the
name of Miss Rue Haywood. spo-
ken almost in his ear aroused him
like an electric shock.
"Mr. Lynde is bewitched with
her, that's plain" continued the
voice. He's having a fine time
out of COleman's absence"
''Pluperfect," said an answering
voice. They say Miss Rue would
not mind COleman's taking himself
of for good"
"He's an able man. You know
there's some talk of running him
for congress-"
'Oh, yes; he's "a d1g,' and all
that, but he's a crotchety fellow,
Makes Miss Rue walk Spanish, /
hear. By the way how are she an d
Mr. Lynde coming on with the OPP
eretta2 l had to cut last rehearsal"
"Famously MISS Rue's solo will
bring down the house. Lynde
thinks the entertainment will foot
up at least one hundred dollars to-
ward the new organ. He's jubilant.
believe that instrument comes
next to Miss Rue in his affections
Can't he get the music out of it,
though Halloo, here's Ashlandr'
Wincing beneath his newspaper,
Mr.. Coleman had recognized the
voices as those of two college stu
dents returning from lecture at
B. Forgetful at last of travel
stain, weariness and headache, he
waited till the youths had left the
car, then walked out at the oppo-
site end, his whole energies engross-
ed in weighing the evidence so gra-
tuitousIy offered. How far could
he rely on current gossip? What
attitude shopld he assume toward
Rue2 Morning fouad him nndecid
ed. He must be governed by Rue's
own manner. As test of her feel
ings toward him he would ask her
for his sake to withdraw from the
operetta. IF she loved him she
would do this cheerfully. IF she
would not do it-Mr. Coleman had
not provided for the latter contin-
gencY when Bridget ushered him |
into Mr.. Haywood's parlor
Miss Rue and Mr.. Lynde were
a duet for the operetta,
both too rapt to observe the intru-
der-a fact inexplicable on musical |
grounds to poor Mr., Coleman, who |
did not know the notes apart or
care to know them. According to'l
his inference, the young people
were absorbed in each other and he
of In limbo. Under these circum-
stances it may not he strange that
his face, that instant spied by Miss
Rue, was not the face of an amia-
BILE man. 1t promptly reminded
Mr., hynde of a waiting pupil, and
having congratulated Mr.. Coleman
on his safe return, he hustled his
music under his arm and departed
in haste.
Miss Rue wheeled the big easy
chair in front of the CRATE, playful
ly forced her sullen suitor into it!
and perched herself on it's arm to
hear about his journey. Had he
been ill2 mol Then he must be
tired. She knew his head
cSed. Should she not try to mag
y, it and put him to-sleep? No,
&c orofa -red that she should not.
r. Ho PI' heJ t.rt bis eyes closed too
ong already. s,se
AS we'll might zephyr have at
tempted to pet an iceberg. With
shiver Miss Rue slipped from ner
perch and seated herself WIN her
work in neighboring rocSer:
What had come over JohnH she
had never seen him like this be-
fore. He did not seem a bit glad
to see her.
He turned away from the dis
tracing vision, mentally preparing
his brief-this astute lawyer, as ig
norant of the nature of girl as an
elephant of the structure of rose.
Presently he began about the festi-
val. He admitted that Rue had
once confided to him her intention
Of participating in an aperetta, but
be had supposed an operettA te be
something like an oratorio, not
tumble of silly love songs. Did
she think it becoming in herself, an
engaged young lady, to carol amo-