The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-10-31
RUTH.
and this is homer

Ruth DeianO gaZed about her with
mingled feeling of wonder, JOY, and
| disappointment. Three thousand miles
had she travelled across the continent
to reach the home her husband had
prepared for her, and this was what
she found:
A lonely ranch among the foothills
in Southern California, with a plain
log cabin for a home. Not a vestige
OF plant or flower around it. not
suggestion of comfort or beauty within
it, the hills stretching brown and bare
under the fiery sun, and not a shade
tree in sight.
Cone might know there never had
been a woman near this place" sighed
Ruth, her eyes slowly filling with tears.
1t seemed so cOmfOrtless and barren
after leaving her mothers old-fashion-
ed farmhouse in Maine, full to over
flowing 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 hus-
band 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 him? Had she and baby Ruth
not wcpt tears of Joy when the letter
came telling them that papa was COM
inc from California to take them home,
and had not every foot of the way been
Joy to think she was once more with
him, and that they were to have a
| homc?'
She stroked the hand of her hus-
band, who held their Ruthie in his
arms. smiling through her tears.
Il know. dear, it is a new country"
she said cheerfully, land you have
| done the best you could"
1t was the truly 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 a
little woman here, things will soon be
looking different
Inside of the house she found some
thing neat. At least, and that was a
great comfort to her, and if the parlor
was barren looking, with no carpet on
| 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 the future work. 1t was
| just at sunset, and as Ruth sat placidly
! looking at the view in front of her
which. after all, was a fine one, taking
in glimpse of the blue Pacific. and
background of purple mountains-she
began to lose that tone Of homesick-
ness which had so marred her home
coming. She thought how beautiful a
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 ans
wer to her thought, John went into
the house and returned in moment
laden wilh two parcels which he drop
ped into her lap.
There, Ruth" he said, you can't
guess what those are, can you?n
Il am afraid not" Ruth said, ewing
the mysterious looking packages Won
derfullv.
well, you know the house isn't
very beautiful vet, 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 up
the lighter but larger one first. To her
surprise it was full of garden seeds,
small packages of almost every kind
She could think Of
"Wen, how lovelyr' she said Now
we shall raise all the vegetables we
need. and our garden will rival dear
mothers at home"
Yes" John replied land 90 ahead
of it; for California beats the world for
| flowers. and your garden will be Just
as lovely in winter as in summer
! There are twenty varieties of roses
| alone among the collection of seeds"
isn't it wonderful to think OFF"
cried Ruth. as delighted as child over
| her treasures. And what can be in
here?" she continued. as she opened
the second parcel. Wonders will
never cease" She exclaimed the next
moment, as she poured WnOle Da9 OF
silver into her lap. And what is this
for?"
ITO buy your parlor furniture he
relsied, laughing at her amazement.
Honest" She looked at him, her
brown eyes sparkling.
1t is for Mrs. Delano to do with as
| she pleaseS.n he said. Il saved the
money to furnish the cabin with. and
thought to have ii fixed up before you
came. but concluded on second thought
| that YOU could do better than |; SO
there's the money. Buy what YOU
please and fix up the place to suit
yourself