Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-04-12
and I wish you all the luck you de.

road. with the gold-headcd cane once
more fitted snug!y across the small Of
h s back.
We'll. / swan" said Jim. 'if that
don't beat all. I'd like to take that
walkin' stick and prod him in the back
right out of the village. But s'posc
she'll take him and kill the fatted calf
and all that sort of thing. thanks to his
pooty face, whilst never even darst--"
but the last of the sentence was lost in
the merry cl,nk, clnk clink that had
begun again.
Ruth Corbett was hanging out her
washing when Jack Palmer stepped
on to her front porch and raped on
her front door with his gold headed
cane.
She was a tallish, slim woman, with
soft. fair hair drawn up on the top of
her well-shaped head and arranged
there in three or four loose putfs. and
she had keen blue eyes. nose OF no
particular shape. 4 thin. rather decid.
Ell and yet pleasant mouth, and ears
that forced themselves upon your at.
tcntion.
The clothes she was hanging on the
line were. US the Widow Crummin ms,
who lived in the next house, had often
remarked. las white rs the driven
snow" and Ruth. with clothespin be.
tween her lips. stepped back on the
grass plat to regard them complaccntly
when she heard the rapping on the
front door. For Il moment she stood
and wondered who it could be, for it was
n very unusual thing to have anyone
come to that door. all her friends, after
the manner OF country people prefering
the back, Then she dropped the clothes
pin on the grass and went to see who
the caller was.
Jack Palmer graspel her hand as she
opened the dOor-tho thought passing
through his IN nd ut the time how d,f
ferent it was to tho soft hands he had
for years been accustomed to grasp
and eXclaim. in rs impass .Oned tone
as he could commands: Ruth. dear Ruth,
and do | indeed see you once morc?'
NJ IS CorbcLt w"estcd her hand from
Ii and looked ut him in amazemcnt.
Then "A light began to dawn upon her.
is it--can it be Jack Palmer?" she
asked.
'It-is-it can" replied the gentle
man.
"Aud what do you want?" Ruth went
on with cool. calm dircc,noss.
'What-do-l want?" stammercd
the caller.
Yes what do you want?"
"What do wanl?" again repeated
Mr., Palmer. "Why, Ruth. how can
YOU ask? | came to sec you"
And why?" pursued the lady.
"Why, because my heart has re-
turned to lis old allegiance. Because
| longcd for my boyhood's home. Be-
cause, Ruth, want you to forgive and
forget the past. "
And thcn?" said Rutl
"Thcn--then, rcpl ed the city gen
tleman. shifting his hat from one hand
TO the other and wincing pcrceptibly
under the steady glare OF those calm
blue eyes; land then l hoped. Ruth.
you would become NV wife"
Have you lost all your money!"
asked Miss Corbctt.
"Wel. YES, have lost the greater
part of it. but before | lost it made up
nv mind to seek you again. | did.
upon my word, aud ask your forgive.
ness
Sorry 10 say doubt that very
much. And now. Mr.. Palmer, | ad.
| wise you TO return TO town as soon rs
possible, while | hang out the rest OF
my washing"
And you won't forgive me, RuthP'
We'll, really, I've quite forgotten
what | have TO forgive YOU for But.
there | forgive you. if that will do you
anv good. and wish YOU II pleasant
! journey back 10 your city friends"
If ever n city gentleman walked of
front porch after an interview witt
an elderly rustic maiden. utterly rout
cd and Il scOmtitrd by that elderly
rustic maiden. Jack Palmer was thai
city gentleman. lie could not have
felt more Il scOmlitcd even if he ha,
seen Miss Corbett. with tranquil lit
tie smile towering about her mouth. e
placidIy back to her grass plat. pick ~
the clothes pm she had dropped TO an
swcr his knock, and 10 let II m in. an,
proceed TO fas.cn handkerchief OIL
the line herewith.
Jim Farlow sp cd his old chum com
ing back aud went to the door of tn,
shop HALO" sad he; 'what luck?
But the other never answered. bu
strobe by, his jaunty manner all gone
without word or sign.
'Ha! ha! ho! hot shouted the black
SIN til. nearly doubling himself up ii
the excess of his mirth. The darnye
raysort didn't work"
That very evening as jim Farloy
was on his way home he stopped for
moment TO speak to Ruth Corbett Sh,
was standing by her gate evidently oil
the lookout for him.
ID 4 YOU see Jack Palmer to-day?'
she asked.
well. yes. | had that honor" re
piled the blacksmith. Did you?"
Il did," said Mss Corbett, IAN,
all I've got to say is-and | couldn'
bring myself TO say that ii it WASH
leap year that it's pity you haven
n ! tie of his assurance
"And if had. what would do wit
it?" asked m. coming as near to he
rs the gate between them would al
low,
Let it help on TO ask me the sam
question he asked me- returned Ruth
Aud tina. was-that was-?" SAL
the blacksm tn.
Yes, it certainly was" assentc