Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-07-12
RUTH.
EY FANNIE SIfIRECK.
".And this is home!"

@.And this is home"
Ruth Delano gazed about her with
mingled feeling of wonder, Joy and dis
appointment Three thousand miles
had she travelled across the continent
to reach the homo her husband had
prepared for her, and this was what she
found:
A lonely ranch among the foothills of
Southern California, with plain log
cabin for home. Not vestige of a
plant or flower around it, not sugges-
ton of comfort or beauty within it, the
hills stretching brown and bare under
the July sun, and not shade tree in
sight.
Zone might know there had never
been woman near this place" sighed
Ruth, her eyes slowly filling with tears.
1t seemed so comfortless and barren
after leaving her mothers old-fashioned
farmhouse in Maine, full to OVERLOOKING
with inviting, comfortable things, and
surrounded with flower gardens and
orchards, and where every nook and
corner suggested the deft hands and
delicate fancies of women. 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, L will lodge?"
Mould any place, no matter how full
of comfort it might be, ever be home
without him? Had she and her baby
Ruth not wept tears of joy when the
letter came telling them that papa was
coming from California to take them
home? and had not every foot of the
way been a Joy to think she was once
more with him and that they were to
have home?
She stroked the hand of her husband,
who held their little Ruthie in his arms,
smiling through her tears.
Il know, dear, it is new country, /"
she said cheerfully, "and you have done
the best you could"
1t was the true wifely spirit, and in
his heart he blessed the true woman who
said it.
"All the ranches look kind of DESC
late," he said, when there's no one but
men about; but now we've got little
woman here, things will soon be look
ing different"
Inside of the house she found every
thing neat, at least, and that was
great comfort to her, and if the parlo1
was barren looking with no carpet upon
it: the kitchen was full of contrivances
which women like, and she knew that
John had thought of them for her.
After supper they sat down on the
little porch in front Of the cabin to talk
of plans for future work. 1t was just
at sunset, and as Ruth sat placidly look.
ing at the view in front of her-which,
after all, was fine one, taking glimpse
OF the blue Pacific, and background
of purple mountains began to lose
that rndertone of inconsistencies which
which had SO marred her homecoming.
She thought how beautiful home
might really be under the shadow of the
lifted peaks, and she resolved that with
Johns help she would make hers one
to be proud of. As if in answer to he1
thought, John went into the house and
returned in moment laden with two
parcels, which he dropped into her lap
"TLere, Ruth," he said, you cant
guess what those are, can you?"
Il am afraid not. Ruth said, cycling
the mysterious looking packages wonder.
ingly.
We'll, you know the house isn't very
beautiful yet, !" John said, his good face
fairly shining with the little secret he
had in store for her; "but guess you'll
find something in each of those parcels
that will help you beautify it,"
What could he mean? Ruth took ur
the lighter but larger one first To hel
surprise it was full of garden seeds
small packages Of every kind almost she
could think of.
Well, how lovely!" she said. "Nov
we shall raise all the vegetables We
need, and our garden will rival deal
mothers at home"
Yes" John replied, "and go ahea6
Of it.; for California beats the world fol-