Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-05-11
RUTH DELANO
Weighed in tho Balance and Not
Found Wanting.
"And this Is homc."

80 N'''~
Ruth Dclano ga2ed about her with a
mingled feeling Of wonder, JOY and
disappointment. Three thousand
miles had she Travelled across the con-
tinent to reach the home her husband
had prepared for her, and this was
what she found;
A lonely ranch among the foothills
OF Southern California, with a plain log
cabin for n home. Not a vcstige OF
o plant or flower around it. not a sug-
gestion OF comfort or beauty within it,
the hills stretching brown and bare
under the July sun, and not a shade
tree in sight.
Zone might know there had
been a woman near this place." sighed
Ruth. her eyes slowly filling with
tears. 1t seemed so comfortlcss and
barren after leaving her mothers old
fashioned farm house in Maine, full to
Overlooking with inviting, comfortable
things, and surrounded with flower
gardens and orchards, and where every
nook and corner suggested the def
hands and delicate fancios OF m
She felt her very heart sinking within
her. Then, seeing the eyes OF her
husband fixed upon her, she forced
back the tears.
Had she not said, like the Ruth Of
old: ''Whither thou goest, ! will go;
and whittier thou lodgest will lodge?'
Would any place, no matter how full
OF comfort it might be, ever be home
without himP Had she and her baby
Ruth not wcpt tears of JOY when the
latter came telling that papa was com
ing from California to take them home'
and had not every foot of the way beer
a Joy to think she was ono more with
him and that they were to have {
home?
She strokcd the hand Of her hus
band, who held their little Ruthie il
his arms, smiling through her tears.
81 know, dear, it is a new country
she said, chcerfully, land you have
done the best you could"
1t was the true wifely spirit, and il
dis heart he blessed the true woman
who said it.
.'And all the ranches look kind o
desolate,n he said, when there's n
one but men about; but now we've 60
little m here things will o o b
looking different"
Inside OF The house she found ever
thing neat, and that was a great con
fort to her, and if the parlor was bal
rem looking with no carpet upon II
the kitchen was full OF contrivancc
which women like. and she knew tina
John had thought of them for her.
After supper they sat down on tn
little porch in front of the cabin
talk of plans for future work. 1t wa
justa at sunset, and as Ruth sat placidl
looking at the view in front OF her
which, after all. was a fine one, takin
In a glimpse of the blue Pacific, and
background OF purple mountains-sh
began to lose that undertone of home
sickness which had so marred he
Homecoming. She thought how beat
tiful a home might really be under tn
shadow of the lifted peaks, and sh
resolved that with Johns help sh
would make hers one to be proud o
As II in answer to her thought, job
went into the house and returned in
moment laden with two parcels whic
he dropped into her lap.
.'There, Ruth" he said. ''you can
gucss what those are, n your"
ii am afraid not" Ruth said, eycin
the mysterious looking packages wol
dcrlngly.
well, you know the house ism
very beautiful yet" John said, h
good face fairly shining with the lit
secret he had in store for her; ''but
guess You'll find something in each
those parcels that will help you bea
tify it."
What could he meanP Ruth took ,
the lighter but larger one first. Toh
surprise it was full OF garden seed
small packages Of every kind almo
she could think OF.
well, how lovely!" she said. INC
we shall raise all the vegetables
need. and IL garden will rival de
mothers Mt home"
YES" John replied. land 60 abe
of IL: for California beats the wor
for flowers, and your garden will
Just as lovely in winter as in sumne
There are twenty varieties CT ros
a,onc among that collection OF seeds
isn't it wonderful TO think OF
cried Ruth, as delighted as a chi
over her treasures. 'And what G.
be In herep" she continued, as s
opened the second parcel. "Wonde
will never ~cease!" she exclaimed t
next moment. as she poured a who
bag Of silver into her lap. "And VIII
!. this fcrp"
TO buy your parlor furniture"
replied. laughing at her amazemont.
Honest" She looked at him, h
brown eyes sparkling.
1T l. for Mrs. Delano TO do with
she plcases." he said. II saved {
no ey to furnish the cabin with. n
thought 70 have Il nxed up before y