The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-28

where Hiram Powlett's mill stood.
He was some five wears older than she
was. and had ished her out OF the mil
stream when she fell into it when she was
years old. From that time he had been
her hero. She had been content TO follow
him about like dog, to sit by ms SIDE Tor
hours while he fshed in the deep pool above
the mill, under the shadows OF the ees,
quite content with an occasional WORD or
notice. She took his part heartily ween
her stepmother denounced him as the ldlest
and most impertinent boy IN the parish;
and wher. soon after she was 10, he one day
mentioned that, as a matter or course, she
would some dag be his wife, she accepted IL
as thing of which she had neyer enter
tanned any doubt whatever.
But Hiram now took the al arm, and one
day told ner that she was 20 give up con-
sorting with young Fore Ter.
You are no longer child, huth, and IL
you go on meeting young Forester down at
the pool, people viii be beginning to talk.
Of course l know that you are good girl,
and would never for a moment think or
taking up with George Forester. Everyone
knows what sort of young fellow he Is; he
never does a days work on the farm, aud
he is in ard out OF the Carne Arms at all
hours. He associate, with the worst lot IN
the village, aud it was only the other day
that when the parson tried to speak to him
seriously he answered hiCa in a way That
was enough to make ones hair stand on
end"
Ruth obeyed her father, and was no more
seen about with George Forester; but she
believed no tale to his disadvantage, and
when at times she met with him accident
ally she told him frankly enough that
though her father didn't like her going
about with him, she loved him and meant
to love him always, whatever they might
say. Upon all other points her fathers
will was law to her, but upon this she was
firm; and two years afterward, when so ne
wores young Forester had spoken at
publc-house about his daughter came to
his ears, Hiram renewed the subject 20 her,
she answered stanchly that unles he gave
his consent she would not marry George
Forester, but that nothing would make
her give him up or go back from her word.
For once Hiram Powlett and his vile
were thoroughly in accord. The former
seldom spoke upoa the subject, but the lat
ter was not 50 reticent, aud every miSdeed
of young Forester was severely commented
upo1 by her in Ruth's hearing. Ruth SCI
dom answered, but her father saw that she
suffered, and more than once demonstrated
with his wife on what he called her cruelty,
but found that as usual Hesba was not to
| be turned fro II her course.
mo. Hiram Powlett," she said, shutting
her lips tightly together; Il must do my
duty whether it pleas As you or not, and 1t
| is my duty to see that Ruth does not throw
| away her happiness in this world or the
next by her hesdstrong conduct. She does
| not belong to the lol1, but in other re-
| spec5s | will do her credit to say that she is
| good girl and do IS her duty as well as eau
be expected, considering the dull less of the
| light she has within her; but if she were to
marry this reprobate she would be lost,
body and soul; and whatever you may
| think of the matter, Hiram Powlett will
not hold my peace in the matter"
II am quite IS determined as you are,
| Hesba, that the child shall not marry this
/ young rascal, but don't think it does any
good to be always nagEing at her
Women are queer creatures; the more you
want them TO go one way the more they
| will go the other.n
But though Hiram Powlett did not say
much, he worried greatly. Ruth had al
ways Teen quiet, but she was quieter than
ever now and her cheeks gradually lost
their roses and Sue looked pale ana Thin
AT last Hiram determined that if he could
not obtain peace for her a. home he would
elsewhere, and hearing that Miss Carues
maid was going to be married he deter
mined to try and get Ruth the place. She
would be free from Hesba's tongue there,
and would have other things to think about
beside her lover, aud would moreover have
but few opportunities of seeing him He
p ,
and was surprised and pleased to find that
when he did, instead OF opposing it rs he
! had expected, she almost eagerly embraced
the proposal.
In feet, Ruth's pale cheeks and changed
| appearance were not due, as her ther
| supposed, to unhappineSs at herStepmother'
talk against George Fores ,er; but because
inspite of herself sne began to feel that her
| accusations were not without foundation.
Little by little she learned, from chance
words dropped by others, that the light in
which her father held George For
ester was that generally entertained in the
village. She knew that he had quarreled
with his father, and that after one of their
alterations he had gone off to Plymouth
and enlisted, only to be bought out by his
father four days afterward
! She knew that he drank, and had taken
part in several serious trays that had arisen
| at the little beershop in the village; and
hard as she fought against the conviction,
| it was steadily making Its way, that her
| lover was wholly unworthy of her. And
| yet. in spite of his faults, she loved him
| Whatever he was with others, he was gen
tie and pleasant with her, and she felt that
were she TO give him up his last chance
| would be gone. So she was glad to get
| away from the village for time, and to
the surprise of her father and the furious
| anger of George Forester, she applied for
and obtained the post of Margaret Carne's
| maid.
She had few opportunities of seeing
George Forester now; but what she heard
when she we down 80 the village on Sun
days was not encouraging. He drank
harder than before, and spent much Of his
time down at Dareport, I'd, as some said
was connected with a rough lot there who
We're fonder of poacoing than of fishing
Margaret Carne was aware of what she
| considered Ruth's infltuation. She kept
herself well Informed of the affair." Of the
village-the greater portion of which be-
longed to her and her brother-and she
learned from thef clergyman, whose right
hand she was in the choir and the sen OILS, a
good deal of the village gossip. She had
never spoken to Ruth on the subject during
the nine months she had been VITA her
but now she felt she was bound to speak.
"What is it, Miss Margaret" Ruth said
quietly in answer to her remark.
Il don't want to vex you, and you will
say it is no business Of mine, but | think 1t
is, for you know like you YER much, be-
sides. your belonging to Ce.sCSford. OF
course l have he .rd-every sa > as heard,
you know-about your eriy"S\ ent 60
young Forester. Now yer. $SNSS thing
has happened. On the night ON dance
our gamekeepers came across a party of
p1achers in the woods, as of course you
have heard, and had fight with them.