St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-19

uCl WCll-SHdpcu lledQ dIu dITduScu
there in three or four large puffs, and
particular shape, thin, rather decided
and yet pleasant mouth and ears that
forced themselves upon your attention.
The clothes she was hanging on the
line were, as the Widow Crummins, who
lived In the next house, had often re-
marked, las white as the driven snow"
and Ruth, with clOthespin between
her lips, had stepped back on the grass
plat to regard them cOmplacently when
she heard the rapping on the front door.
For moment she stood and wondered
who it could be, for it was very I'M
usual thing to have any one come to
that door, all her friends, after the man
mel, OF country people, preferring the
back. Then she dropped the clothes
pin on the grass and went to see who
the caller was.
Jack Palmer grasped her hand as she
opened the dOOr-the thought passing
through his mind at the same time how
different it was to the soft hands he had
for years been accustomed to grasp
and exclaimed in as impaSsiOned tone
as he could command: Ruth, dear
Ruth, and do l indeed see you once
mOre?'
Miss Corbett wrested her hand from
his and looked at him in amaZement.
Then light began to dawn upon her.
us it-can it be Jack Palmer?' she
asked.
''It-is-i it can," replied that gentle
man.
"And what do you want?'' Ruth went
on, with cool, calm directnesS.
"What-dO-I want?' stammered the
caller.
"YeS. what do Won want?D
"What do l want?'' again repeated
Mr.. Palmer. ''Why. Ruth, how can you
ask? came to see you.''
And why?" pursued the lady.
''Why? Because my heart has returned
to its old allegiance. Because, lOnged
for my bOyhOOd's home. Because,
Ruth, 1 want you to forgive and forget
the past"
''And then?" said Ruth.
''Then-then." replied the city gentle
man, shifting his hat from one hand to
the other and wincing perceptibly under
the steady glare of those calm blue
would become my wife"
''Have you lost all your money!"
asked Miss COrbett.
well, yes; l have lost the greater
part of it, but before L lost it made up
my mind to seek you again. l did, upon
my word, and ask your forgiveness"
Sorry to say doubt that very much.
And now, Mr.. Palmer, l advise you to
return to town as soon as possible, while
L hang out the rest of my washing"
And you won't forgive me. Ruth?"
'Well, really, Tve quite forgotten
what l have to forgive you for. But,
there, forgive you, if that will do you
any good, and wish you pleasant jour
hon 10 al y, fri
If ever city gentleman walked off
front porch after an interview with an
elderly rustic maiden, utterly routed
and discounted by that elderly rustic
maiden, Jack Palmer was that city
gentleman. He could not have felt
more discounted even if he had seen
Miss COrbett, with a tranquil little
smile lowering about her mouth, go
,placidly back to her grass-plat, pick up
the clothes pin she had dropped to
answer his knock and to let him in, and
proceed to fasten handkerchief to the
line Herewith.
Jim Farlow spied his old chum COM
ing back and went to the door of the
But the other never answered, but
strobe by, his jaunty manner all gone,
without word OF sign.
6 Ha! ha! no! ho!" shouted the black
smith, nearly doubling himself up in
the excess of his mirth. The darnyer
raysOrt didn't work."
That very evening as Jim Farlow was
on his way home he stopped for a mo-
ment to speak to Ruth Corbett. She
was standing by her gate evidently on
the lookout for him.
"Did you see Jack Palmer to-day?'
she asked.
"Well, yes, I had that honor" replied
the blacksmith. Ibid you?"
IL did," said Miss COrbett. ''and all
I've got to say iS-and l couldn't bring
myself to say that if it wasn't leap year
that it's pity you haven't little of
his assurance"
.'And if / had, what would / do with
it?" asked Jim, coming as near to her
as the gate between them would allow.
Let it help you to ask me the same
question he asked me-" returned Ruth.
land that WaS-that wasp said the
blacksmith.
Yes. it certainly was," gravely as
sented Ruth.
The gate flew open-Jim caught her
in his arms-''It was, Will you be my
wife?'" he fairly shouted. And 81
haven't the slightest objection" said
Miss COrbett.