The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-04-28
pose. Naturally such homely girls
make still homlier old maids"

Il
neither did any one else but you.
guess. Palmer. aud you didn't think so
till you got amongst them city gals.
You treated Ruth ALTERED mean. you
did," and Jim Farlow turned to his
anvil again.
''Oh. look here. Jim. don't go to
work for minute or two more. Does
she live ut the farmP know didn't
treat her exactly right. but when one
finds ones self surrounded by hand
some. fashionable girls one can't help
but forget the rustic maidens one
leaves behind. But have good reason
to think that l eau still make IL NIL
right Better late than never, you
know. She has remained single for
my sake. 1 am sure. and have come
here to reward her constancy at last.
In short time to marry her."
ITO marry herF'
Great heavens! what a parrot you
are. Jim. Yes 10 marry her. She Is Il
dernier resort"
What's thatP" asked the black
smith.
A last resort can't live any long
or In the city, I'm overhead and heels
! in debt thcre-owe for this very suit L
have on. So I've made up my mind to
return to the home OF my childhood,
marry my old sweetheart aud settle
down into quiet country gen tleman.
Not bad thing to do when one can't
do anything else. is itP''
We'll. Iswan. you are cool card. I"
said Jim. .'But you won't find her at
the farm. but at the little red house
just this side of it, She isn't BIT
stuck up. though she has come into a
fortune. You'd better go right along.
and ! wish you all the luck you de-
serve"
Palmer eyed him suspicio usly for a
moment and tnon staggered up the
road. with tho gold-headed cane once
more fitted snusly across the small of
his back
''Well. 1 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 l s'pose
she'll take him and kill the fatted calf.
and all that sort of thing. thanks 10 his
pooty face, whilst mover even darst--"
but the last of the sentence was lost in
the merry clnk, clink clink that had
begun again.
Ruth Corbett was hanging out her
washing when Jack Palmer stepped
on to her front porch aud raped on
her front door with his gold-headed
cane.
She was tallish, slim woman, with
soft fair hair drawn up on the top of
her wcll-shaped head and arranged
there in three or four loose putfs. and
she had keen blue eyes, nose of no
particular shape. thin. rather decid-
ed and yet pleasant mouth. and ears
that forced themselves upon your at
tcntion.
The clothes she was hanging on the
line were. as the Widow Crummins.
who lived in the next house. had often
remarked, las white rs the driven
snow" and Ruth. with aclothespi in be-
tween her lips, stepped back on the
grass plat to regard them complaecntly
when she heard the rapping on the
front door. For moment she stood
and wondered whoit could be. for il was
a very unusual thing to have anyone
como to that door, all her friends, after
tho manner of country people prefering
the back. Thcn she dropped the clothes
pin ON the grass and went to see who
the caller was.
Jack Palmer graspcd her hand as she
opened the door--thc thought passing
through his mind mt the time how diff
feront 1t was TO the soft hands he had
for years been accustomed TO grasp
and exclaim. In rs imprisoned tone
as ho could command; Ruth. dear Ruth.
and do indeed soc You once more?"
Miss Corbott wrcsled her hand from
his and looked ut him in amazement
Then a light began to dawn upon her.
lis it--can II be Jack PalmcrP' she
asked.
'1t--is--it can" replied the gentle
man.
And what do you wantP' Ruth went
on with cool. calm directncss.
''What-do--I wantp" stammercd
tho caller.
"Ycs. what do you wantP'