The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-03-02
RUTH RoDAEY's ROMANCE.


RUTH RODHEY'S ROMANCE.
"Ruth!"
A girl with lightly clasped hands,
and thoughtful eyes, her whole atti.
tude suggesting happy day deeams,
was leaning against the trunk OF IL
dead tree at the foot OF an old fash.
Toned garden. AS the peevish, impa-
tient voice reached her, her expression
changed to one OF love and anxiety.
"ies, dear am coming" she called
iii her clear young voice, as she ran
towards the house.
allow neslectful am OF you.' in 1.
tone OF self-rel,ukc us she entered the
little sitting room and guzcd tenderly
at a man seated IN q large easy chair
before a desk covered with sheets OF
paper.
az was time for your medicine long
ago; here is Your paper to read. and |
have let you write so much and wor-
ry your poor brain without trying to
stop you, and she lightly kissed his
forehead. Mr.. Rodney drew back and
coughed nervou-iy. The girl looked
into his eyes.
"What is it," she said at length.
"You were to have no secrets from
me, remember"
These two had the same low, broad
forehead, the same large, gray eyes,
thick brown hair; but the mans face
was careworn and thin from illness;
his eyes and mouth showed the result
OF dissipation, and his shoulders had
q stoop from constant writing. The
girl was healthl.ersoniiied. You coad
see it in the firm, supple curves OF her
wrist and waist, in her clear complex.
ion, elastic gait, and frank, sweet
eyes.
"What is it, father?" she asked
again.
'"'A ','o''y e''','eu MS e'."e rom
one object to another. He found it
difficult to tell this girl that they had
come to the end OF everything.
"Where's Tonl?" he asked suddenly.
otlll IN Iowa. papa' ana dong
very we'll"
Tom nusse'i,s i"thsr and Mr.. Rod
MY NY were COUSINS ana cn'lese chllms;
Mhen mr.. russell dled ne appointed
MIR. Rodney guardian OF his only son.
10 whohl nc ieio u sinall 1ort.le. rom
went INTO business, lost nearly all his
money ana the year oefote had made
them a short visit before he went West
to see what ranch'ng could dofor him.
during TINS visit he violently fell III
love with Ruth. For three days he
lOnght manlully with himself. but the
'ast evening OF his stay with them he
asked hnth TO walk down to the Old
Tree. Before ne was aware ne WAS tell
ing hef OF MS love ana asking. II ne
co"ld not 70 away happy IN the
thou%nt that some day she would
love nm III return. There was no en-
gagehheht' but kuth's answer must
nave been satisfactory, II one can
Judge ny the long letters, which came
regularly ana the picture she wore IN
the vicinity OF her heart. Mr.; Rod
ney paid little attention to Ruth's
answer, and began to beat Il tattoo
on the table with ms pen: :,
III no use. huthle' lie SAD final'
~ I'VE are IN q t'snt place. You
know we are mortglsed way up, the
interest was due last week; Mr.. Marsh
came Tor 1t ana ! put h'm oil. lie
comes again to.morrow,and haven't
SloO ready money"
NV here is the money from your last
BOOK tuth's eyes were wide open
with astonlshmcnt and PAIN.
~ hat er-well, hem--lts all gone;
now can say. Mr. Rodney blush
ed under the searching look OF his
daughter.
"Havcn't you stories at the pub
!l,hrr's" she asked again.
Yes, short tale or SO. but they
won't BRING in much. and the worst OF
II is since my SICK turn l can't write.
mat is the hardest blow OF all to
have my genius desert me and become
an old man at %. Mr.: Rodney drop
ped his head in his hands and groan-
ed:
fnth was at ms SIDE directly, soft
~ caresslnS ms heavy hair. "Don't
pnla, ln;, sne W yt'1". noh @ T., T. t, ~ %'ll pe !,
M th. ','' ni "e .ae ga ei.,,, III, o.nel; Mh M IL
onch @ % -, h"" ] om,ul,. 5 W. W. ',so '' '''0 4of
e. ..,,'..I' UI :; ".e'. W, WV ,:'se.
a l'h; L., s"a ,'. "e. '".,1cl e",'s as ~
,.'. r." ~, n's n,, ''", ,a ",ou ;,1 "el, w''s'l u
t;nny" lin ~ '' " ''' ''' wv" ''' viz
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s,,r,l,. "' ''' ''''' ''' "o"''cy
''' ,I,,.:.. Wy ,,,.
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R,tl,. =. .e' 90" y" W "'f'''y ''''''
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+;,,o nm5 ~, ,.o ga IA" .L. " ~ Nv ;,I'' ,no
;n W. f,,nra @ mn',,5 - '.y ~, ,.r,,, is''o'y
wind :" o ""' '''''S' NY
Mr. Ho]ncv,s ov.. st;,, r.st.1 ~, q
wi,rn s,nt in tho ,a,,at '''.' VII F"
"Ii.,s n r;ch MAJ. pn.h - ho s.;a
' "'' ''' '''''
The "iri,s face famed b.r oves ,row
dark "yom wo,,l.lm,t ,c,l r mo ~ lin" I;r
f.t h.,yn .ha .st.I - a ~ lnn nv 80 i" "'"''
The man was ;mm.'l;ats,v nn t,,o
defensive.
..N.L,. AL, .,:.,
,,.s,' Wy ny WI you lut ,n'''ss os SO n'uh''