Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-01-17

I
Father. ls, my boy no, stray from the
s,r.ish, path. +. his unhappy father has
done =
And then food Of old memories
would ovsrelms Ruth with ihs sharp.
ne., Of their pain. and 'he would lie SOB
bing like child fOr hours. Ohly ,h.,
one backward glance. ye, !, broush, be-
fore her all the intense swes,nss, OF the
frs, days Of her married life, follosei by
year, Of bitterness that no earthly power
could alleviate. and when the morning
broke TO feel tkA, the dull. heavy burden
Of life. must be taken up and carried
ehssriully TO the end.
81. crossing gray atd faded With watt
INK Ruth watched the years eiteP on.
and fsl, herself drifting in,o ds.ol,'s
old age. Daily she Piled her needle 10
keep ,oul and body together. bu, the real
secret of her falling health ". Tefy'
unflill silence. Terry, Who VAS 10 be
the staff Of her old age. and the bread.
winntr. when her finger. should lose
their cunning. She sill refused TO part
With her property. Around hsr fain,.
cts aud smelling woik. glovtd like mia
ia,ure yoleanoe'. the esA,sls,s hun Of
m.ehihery flled the air, ys, Roth bore ii
al, sweet. patient Old woman, whom
the highss, hohofsd, aud the roughs,i
melted into Tenderness, whsn the sofi
brown eyes me, theirs
The summer Of Is WAS unusually
hot The cattle oa the hillside, stood
knee deep ia the cool water of the noun.
tain pools. bird, haiisrsd through the
da,ky pias covert, with upliitd wing'.
While msn .wsliered under the sun. hsry
ray,, by LAY. and drank Ia the ,eofehlus
nj sh, air. until lie scented uhbeArable.
Death cam. 20 many. suddenly, painless.
ly; 10 Others. the .lo-, dali Agony Of
dyirg va, lsng,hsh,d ogi fof days.
Ruth Rsabara's ejtsse looked cool AID
ejmlJi,,ble In hi, desert q hot, black
dar. ys, even she f;.t the intensity of
tho heat. Aad ,p-h, the loag ,ul,ry nights
on hi y,as. wfe,,hsd porch. 'aslietsd
from view by the tAnsls, oi ,hrubbsry
,ha, hsmmsd 10 ia bat a nigh, came.
hotter. dyer and mote d'Pis',ing ,h.a
the preceding nights, when Ruth parted
the vines. Ahi held her face close 10 the
opening. 20 catch breath ot aif.
Column, q a,me bsleAsd up from ,hs
yawning mouths Of furnace shimhsy,
clear noon Mingled Il, ,ilvsry rays with
tie more glazing light, aud Ruih' eyes
rested. q, they always did. on the n,rrow
path b5ids,,d with tall spikes of spec.
tr.l.vhiis lilis'. that LED doWn 20 The
gate
Sadlsnly a,hAdov f,ll ssiosii, bright.
ns"-a shadow iha, u.n,hIed Ruth,
eye, 10 their sockets. for. nA anh Of
clearer lish, lsapsd up. she rseognir'd-
TerD
"Tsuy," The word dropped ,lno,,
uneon.sioa,ly from hsr lips IS she oui.
stretched hsr lfsmblins hIbd' Il, it,
can b. b, my T,uy
'Yc,. mother. i,. Tsrty." "a, the
stranger, reply. a, be pa'hel the vines
roughly aside and stood on the porch a,
her side
lie made 90 display Of smo,ios-if.
Indeed. be fsli ahy-Anl - hi, mother
elaspsd ti, hahd In both Of hers. he dfe"
i,A"Ay ~ilh a. impA'ish, gesture. say.
ins;
Cone. toue-lo ron,thss, mother.
an both tired Gai hangry. Get me
s5mtthibg 10 sA,-quiek -
Ruth silently lead the way into her
nsAi. ,idy Kitchen. She fel, dared Ani
bewllsrsd. for II the shock u hi, sudden
.pp,aralee had been great. the shock Of
his cool. ssla'h greeting bad been great
tr
A lamp va. burning on table. And
although Terry seated him'slf in the
shadow. Ruth could plainly make out
bis fel,ur,. Its. /, was Tsry--ollsr.
hAnd,omsr. laughter than Of old. bat
It'll Teuy-,,T obg ard robust. like biz
father. his ,moo,h.,hAyth face wearing
q Hush TIA, Ruth understood only too
yell. Her heart sunk lower and lower.
iof the restless. hun,sd loof Ia Tsrrys
eve, wa, 40, the look Of a man a, peace
viih himself or the world.
Terry" she began. irsmblinsly. {"
,he spread on, laneh oa the table
Terry, i, il really yol, cannot be-
lisvs tie. You are very like your faith
,r. Teuy."
"A,lik,.,wO peas" a',enied rerry.
with nod.
Ruth AlmOs, dropped her thy ,sAPo,
in eous;eInAtion.
"Teuy. how can you say 90 You
have never seen him
"uf,sn; we have bssn fast friend, for
year," Terrence RsAburn said. with al
odd glance al The white, troubled face.
"You need no, look 80 ,eaisd-l am my
fathers son.'
IL am afraid you are" Ruth said, with
a ,remor In her voice. "Ieuy. would
rather have given you up forever than see
you like ,hi. Do you think | do not
know the sins Al. Terry, when you
wen, out into the world though, my
council and prayers would keep you cafe
Ba, you ate lOs,-lOs,! -
"No, quite" said Terry. curly. as he
ate ray,nou.ly ofihe homsly fare before
him.
"whsre i, your Pride-your ambition,
Terry
"Gone; the road my father ~eni,' de.
el,rsd Terry. pushing his chair back from
the table and looking a, ki, pale li,ls
mo,her With cold. unloving eye.. Hos
many year. have been away
"Oysr fifteen You are thirty. nov.
Terry. and yoang.looking Of your age.
Terry. mother sighed, Aidins. under her
breath. 'e,a i, be my boy-my Terry =
"Thi, prOPsiiy i, very valuable nov.
I, IL not =
Ruth. heart Was almost too full br
speech nov. How often had ,he pleiu''
cd Tsry'. homecoming. and her joy N
telling him hos we'll she had saved bis
inheri,snee-all she had 10 btqleaih him.
No. il. value was to be nothing TO her,
| AMI .o,.s than nothing 10 Terry. The