The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-01-26

the other side of the ratlroadl Nothing Il
screen the entrance but piece of worn-ou
tentcioth. We had to perform the opera
ton by the light of coal-oil lamp. She
| held it,
"The mothcrp
"Yes; and never flinched. Shielded Il
with her hand to keep the rain from putting
out the light. In all my professional expert
cnce never saw such self-command."
indifference, l should call it, suggested
the indignant listener.
IL don't know, my dear; / don't know
When we got through l wondered that she
did not move or stir. l looked at her, and
her eyes were fixed upon tho face of the un
conscious child Ihad to unclasp her hands
from the lamp. Her fingers were cold and
clammy; she was like person in catalcp
tic trance. thought she was going to
fall to the ground. But, instead"
"1nstead-whatW
'Instead, she insisted upon staying there
alone tonight. Would not listen to our
offer of watchers. Seemed in hurry to get
Us of"
But how can the child recover in such a
place! 1t is criminal to leave him there"
'rhe citizens of Pamea may be trifle un-
civilized, my dear, but they are not wanting
in the common attributes of humanity. The
| boys have been busy this evening. They
have rented that little house Browns family
] vacated last week. and a couple of hundred
| dollars will be placed in bank tomorrow to
| the little boys credit"
But the citizens of Palmea found that
| they had a difficult case with which to deal.
Face to face with the exigencies of her stu
ation the mother consented to move to the
house made ready for her, but she drew
| sparingly upon the funds placed to her
credit and took careful inventory of every
thing the house contained, with view to
paying for every thing as soon as she should
be able. In an inconceivably short time
thanks to the reactive powers of healthy
childhood, and the pure air of the elevated
southern plateau, the child was able to be
about the house, blithe as a little MANNED
bird on his single leg and crutch. The scant
sewing that the mother could procure was i'll
paid and inadequate for her needs, and she
quietly opened another industry. She made
the fact known that she was ready to wash
the soiled linen of the town. Hop Wing,
who had hitherto monopized this industry,
at prices so eXtravugaut that he was fast
rising to n position of affluence viewed this
encroachment upon his peculiar province
with unfeigned alarm. He lowered his scale
of prices and starched the bosoms of Pal
meas shirts until it became necessary to
use gimlet for the insertion of shirt studs,
but in vain. A generous tide of patronage
flowed in upon his competitor.
The doctor and his wife sometimes dis
cussed the anomalous character of the
woman with whom Fate had brought them
in contact.
II can't quite make her out" the doctor
once remarked; ito look at her one would
think her incapable of feeling-that she had
scarcely human instinct. She is develop
ing iuto the hardest business woman 1 ever
saw. Yet am inclined to think that the
night first saw her she was stimulated by
courage of the highest order, an heroic self
that conquered her own ply
sical weakness"
~ understand her perfectly" returned
his wife, with prompt femini ne decision;
''she is constructed on a different principle |
from ordinary women. Some gentle in |
stinct of sympathy-of womanly tenderness |
is wanting in her composition. l have |
seen her day after day. you know, my dear, |
and ought to be able 10 judge. Though |
she Is not a bad sort of a woman at all,n she |
conceded.
"Curious sort of a name, isn't it!-Mrs. |
Ruthstan. 1t has very fancy sound.'
at doesn't sound like u real name at all,n
returned Mrs. Belden, severely; ''oh, she |
has history behind her. and we shall know |
IL some day, depend upon it."
1t so happened that the very next day the |
doctor stumbled across an old friend,
newly arrived in the place, and brought
him home. Bessie, you remember Jack
oldest friend | have. You
remember he would have been the best |
man at our wedding-n
'If he hadn't been busy getting married |
himself thousand miles away. Yes, re-
and am very glad to welcome |
you to our home, Mr.. Grosvenor," said the
loctor's wife, holding out her hand with |
winning smile.
But there was no answering smile on the |
face of the man she so cordially greeted.
She remembered her husbands description
IF the gay, light-hearted fellow, and tried to
IDENTIFY him with this sober-faced, reserved
nan. who had silently seated himself by
,he window, and was looking out over the
plains with an abstracted air.
'Jack has Just come back with party
rom Guaymas," explained the doctor; she
ias made rich strike down on Pocahantas
Mountain
"That is very good" said Mrs. Belden,
lbsently, wondering why her husband
should make such point of his friends
business success, or speak of il as il it were
If vital interest to her.
81 am glad for Jack" proceeded the doc
or, little awkwardly; "he has been telling
ne something of his experience to-day
'ou don't mind my telling Bessie, Jack.-
md he's had hard pull. Worst Of all, he
ost his wife"
81 am very sorry -"
'No, not that wayr' hastily interrupted
he doctor; "lost sight of her He left her
n Denver three years ago. Heard from her
'nce or twice. but his roaming life was not
avorable to correspondence. Now he tells
ne he has lost all trace Of her."
"How very strange!' Her womau's curl
sity was reused. "And she was such
,retty woman, Mr. Grosvenor. remember
he lovely face of the photograph you sent
IS, when you were married. Such a
limpled, laughing facel Where was it /
aw one that reminded me of it, not long
,go,"
ne," remarked Grosvenor, taking part in
he conversation for the first time, and
peaking in labored, husky voice; II won
er that she put up with it so long. We had
ad hard time of it for years. You know
ow she had been reared up. She was
fiss Ruth Stanhope, OF Richmond, of the
Id Virginia Stanhopes. l was never able
0 provide for her in the way she had been
to at home. / left her with al
lost nothing. She was a proud, spirited
,oman. She tired of the struggle and went
ack to her friends. had hoped she might
old out on account OF the boy"
'VThe boys Then you had childp
Grosvenor assented with mute gesture.
"Ruth Stanhope," repeated the DOCTORS
|