Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-01-18

neck, and cling to him.
"But he would be astounded "she
thought, and in moment it passed
away.
Rich and envied, Mrs. Judge Sher-
man took her place in her husbands
elegant home. She was received with
open arms by society, and every one
in Columbus thought her to be the
happiest of the happy
But it soon became evident to Ruth
how empty her homelife was. Her
husband treated her with the most
courtly politeness, but that was all.
OF course the household servants
knew that they occupied different
rooms, but they were not gossipers.
After a while Lucy would come.
And then what would she say to the
two bedrooms And the cold cour-
tesyi
"Oh, it was mistake after all !"
sighed Ruth, to herself No one
ever ought to marry for money and
a home. might have won his love,
if | had tried at first. But now it is
too late And what long, lonely,
empty life to be before one"
She felt this the more, because as
she knew him better she began to
find out the true worth of her hus-
bands heart and character.
And she found that old image
growing dim and DINNER in her heart,
until she wondered how she ever
could have thought she cared for Her.
bert Lorraine, and to know that her
kind husbands image was growing
there.
But not whisper of it could she
breathe to him. And while she most
scrupulously attended to every duty
which concerned his comfort, she saw
the shadows lying upon his brow, and
felt them dropping over her own
heart.
Homelife which is but an empty
mockery, cannot satisfy any human
heart, much less the loving heart of
woman.
The Judges judicial business of
course took him much away from
home.
But when he returned from these
journeys he never guessed how lonely
Ruth had been in his absence, for she
met him as calmly as ever. He had
truly kept his word. Nothing more
than cool friendship had he ever ask
ed for-he certainly had not troubled
her with any feelings of his own, if,
indeed, he had had any
One day he was expected home,
after a weeks journey, when a very
severe snow storm came on.
Ruth had ordered supper delayed
until the hour for the train.
But the hour came and passed. and
he did not arrive. At the solicitation
Of her housekeeper, Ruth tried, at
last, to eat her own supper, while she
dispatched man servant to the sta
ton, to see if there were news of the
train.
The man came back with the report
that there had been an accident, but
the storm was so great that particu-
lars had not yet been received.
A special engine was preparing to
go out to the scene of the disaster, and
the operator said that as soon as any
news Of the judge was received, he
would send a boy at once to Mrs.
Sherman.
"If he was able, he would send me
dispatch himself" said Ruth know
ing how careful he was of all these
little things.
She did not know that the wires
were down and messages could not
be sent. So she watched and waited,
growing more and more uneasy as the
night waned.
Midnight passed, and still she sat,
keeping the parlor warm and bright
for him, yet fearing he would never
come.
He may be dead" she said, land
never know that l have not given him
stones for bread, after all !" And the
tears dropped from her eyes, as she
sat and thought of the year which
she had wasted, which might have
been so happy.
At last she heard the rapid roll of
wheels which stopped at the door.
News had come! Was it the Judge,
or only boy from the telegraph
Officer
She rose, and stood leaning her
hand on marble table, waiting
breathlessly for what came next
She heard the bell, then the waiter
opening the door, a rapid question or
Two, hasty steps, and the parlor door
was thrown open, and the judge, well
apd smiling, stood there.
why, Ruth! !" he cried, in surprise.
But Ruth could not, calmly, bear
any more. She flew to him, with her