Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-01-17
Ruth Reaburn's Son.

coitsges Ani quiet oli ehn'eh, ma
hitherto been unAdul,erAied by the sui
phuroa, gases Of hundred smoke
stacks. and Il, steady. sober inhsb,ant
eon,sn,edly spent their days in homsly
occupation. and their nights in .leepin.
the sleep Of the just. Now and ,hsI
some restless spirit, longing for slimp.
Of more progressive scenes, broke away
from home lie. and home ihhlsnce,. aud
wen, oai into ,h, world that holds nD'h.
ing bu, hardship, for those ambition
wanderers
Among the latter wa, Ruth R'ablrn''
son. Ten years before, 'pseulA,ion' hat
uneaiihed the wealth Of the moun,air
hamlet. Terrence ksaburn-grovn
weary Of the dallne,, ,hA. had oppressed
him from the eradle-lsf, hi, humbl'
home and toiling mother aud wen, nc
on. krsw whittier, although bis mother
seemed perfectly a, resi A. TO bis where.
.bou,s. aai eoaaishily looked forward
TO bis return.
"Terfy Away, was ambitions" "a,
s1plAin,d. "and wants 10 gsi on IN the
void. lie i, ike hh father IN that
way
Although who hi, father vas. no oas
Ia Hamp,on knew. ior one summer
morning Ruth bad walked into the mid',
ofihs,s que, people with her baby Ia bet
arms. and A. ,hs seemed moderately vel
supplied With moasy. purchased ,hs IT,
,le cottage she ,,ill occapisd. Aad settled
down within Il pale gen,ls woman,
eagerly anIiou. 70 earn "a hohe,, h1sh.
hool fot herself and boy. She va.
YOUNG shtthef vile OF wilos, n)ne
could tsll-wiih .wsll bred Aif about
her that f,,orably impressed her neigh.
boz. Her brown eye, wsrc full Of some
deep sorfow--,oms unspoken. uniA'hom'
able pain-Anl there were lines of care
.boa the sensitive lip, that be'Poss
some invari struggle. Bai she alT,y'
"a, modest Ani cheerful. and as her son
grew up strong aad handsome. bci with
a hlugh,in,,s Of manner ,ha, was hdy
a, vArilnes With the meek dsme,nof Of
hi. mother. the ,halos. seemed to fade
ol, q the beautiful bioHa eyes, and
mAty .,hy glAscs o. Animation wA'
eAsiN Ruth KsAbarn', fair, sweet, face
A. ff,,eb. Terrence bad ou,'iiiPPsd
hi, teachers In ktowlsdss. and. tuning
hi. back oa the sleepy little iown' ~en'
20 take lessons in harder 'ehool--'hS
school Of .sli dependence.
Ba, ,addshly The S.bba,h.liks calm Of
Hampion vr broken up. Several rail.
road line, cut their way through The
mammoth pines. and the .hfl,k Of the
locomotive stirred the solemn siletee
,peeala,on ,vIrmed around Hampton
like tls, ,roanl = po, Of hoasy. and. I"
II BY magic. Industry uAn'fornsd The
dreamy inllnd town ia,o busy. noisy.
manufacturing city. AL ihs OLD laad'
marx, disappeared. aud nothing remain
al 70 tel oi Hampton, ANCIENT 'imPliei'
" bat Ruth Rsabsrn, low eoisg' ns,,-
Ing among iAngle Of lose, and ,htae-
bsry. Ra,h elang 10 hsr valuable ploi
of sroand With isa.ei'y ofpafPo'; that
provoked mAny sngfy remarks, A. no
smoan, Of monsy, however large. could
irduce her either 10 lease OF sell. IL
uu Teuy's home. aud bis should stand
untouched until be came 20 claim ii.
"He will claim hi, osa some DAY.
Ruth ,ah in reply 10 a neishboi. ~hom
The tide ofprosPeu,y bad swsP, oui OF
poverty, grove. "Yoa eAnno, argue
me oa, Of my PaPO'e, Mrs. Gr'y'oa.
My boy, hops, Hc ds.rsr 10 me than al!
the luIuris. mosey can buy, aud know
one oi hi, ds.r,s, hopes - 20 ind me
here % welcome him home
Mrs. Gfsyson looked egiioH'ly ~ The
ssn,le face. which the mother love ws.
lighting up. Two deck, Of bloom dyed
the sill youthful cheeks, AID hsr brown
eyes were humid With tears.
"Do you ever bear from Terry I"
The asck, Of bloom desPensd 10 Ra,h''
checks.
"Tery !, well. Aaa doips ~sll." Wa
Der svA.ive reply.
"Ba,. Ruth. Tsuy should no; nsslse'
you. II be Is prO.Psrins. A. you say,
be should yi,i, you ,, times
"Ah !"-Ru,h's face grew suddenly
gra,e-''he has no time TO spare. Poo'
boy"
"well. Ruth. you can please yourself
about ini. matter. bat, II | were YOU,
would sell my property, and enjoy ih,
comfort. the price OF il would bring.
DO no, believe Ia ho,rding up riches Il
leave 10 ihlhkls,, ehildien, said Mrs
Grsy,on, with some spirit
"You have never been "a mother" 'aiC
Ruih with the sound Of coming tears II
her voice. "Tsrry is my all. No on'
will think Of hi. welfare, II bis mo,hs'
dee, not. And | will live on bread Aa'
water 10 bensf, Tsuy."
Mr.. Grey,on was silent The mo.h
er.lo,e wa. too strong in Ruth Rslburn''
lonely hear, to bs shaken by a'sumshi'
Thi. sad, pale wOm,ns early life wr
mystery 10 her nsighbors. and mons bl'
God and henelf knew whA, this hsc
been even when .h, bfoush, her liul
child, an infan, ia her arms, into ihi
quie, corner Of the world.
"No," ,Aii Mrs. Grey,oa. after
thoughtful pause. "l am thankful ! have
never been mother. see 30 many un
loving, selfish children that l DO no
fancy = mothers responsibility. Bat
Ruth. who will care fof your old age
"Tury."
And Mrs. Gey.oa dsvoa,ly hop,d ,h''
Terry. mother nigh, NJ, b, di,aPP'in;'
cd in her idol. and left ,hs li,,l. eo,,as'
With feeling Of pity foi poor. ds,ola,
Ruth R.aburn, who denied herself ,h
common comforts Of life ths, her 90
might sometime enjoy the laXuris, Pu'
chased by her self denial.
But II Mrs. Greyson could have lo1ke'
beyond the impossible Of ka,h'. cute
life, she would have pi,isd still mors lh'
woman whose inner life was one eon,lah
struggle with doubts ,ha. Tsny', 'ilehe
evoked. Twice only in the ten year
that had gone, had che heard from Ter