Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-08-30
LOVE IN a LOG CABIN.

q mingled feeling of wonder, JOY ana
disappointment. Three thousand
miles had she travelled across the con-
tinent to reach the home her hus-
band had prepared for her, and this
was what she found:
A lonely ranch among the foothills
in Southern California, with plain
log cabin for a home. Not vestlge
of plant or a flower around 1t, not
suggestion of comfort or beauty with
in it. hills stretching brown and bare
under the July sun, and not shade
tree in sight.
Zone 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 mother
old-fashioned farmhouse in Maine
full to overfowing with inviting, COM
Portable things, and surrounded with
flower-gardens and orchards, and
where every nook and corner sug-
gested the deft hands and delicate
hands 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?n
Would any place, no matter now
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 joy to think she
was once more with him and that
they were to have home.
SheIstroked the hand of her nus
band. who held their little Ruthie III
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 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. y
Inside of the house she found every
thing neat, at least, and that WAS "a
great comfort to her, and if the parlor
was barren looking with no carpet
upon it, the kitchen was full OF con
trivances which woman 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
lust at sunset, and as Ruth sat placidly
looking at the view in front of her
which, after all, was a fine one, tax
ing in a glimpse of the blue Pacliic,
and background of purple noun
tains-sh she began to lose the under
tone of homesickness which had so
marred her becoming. She thought
how beautiful home might really be
under the shadow of the lifted pines
and she resolved with Johns help she
could make hers one to be proud OF.
As if in answer to her thought John
went into the house and returned in a
moment laden with two parcels which
he dropped in her lap.
There. Ruth" he said, you can't
guess what these are, can you?"
II am afraid not" Ruth said, eye
ing the mysterious looking packages
wonderingly.
well. you know the house isn't
very beautiful yet" John said, his
good face fairly shining with the lit
Tie secret lie lldll III SbOlC iNi HS'f
| guess you'll find something in each
of those parcels that will help you
beautify it. y
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 every kind, almost,
she could think Of.
well, how lovely" she said Now
we shall raise all the vegetables we
need, and our garden will rival dear
mothers at home"
Yes, John replied, "And go 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
among that collection of seeds"
Isn't wonderful TO think OFF, cried
Ruth, as delighted as a child over her
treasures. "And what can be in here?"
she continued as she opened the sec
ond parcel wonders will never
ceaseg" she exclaimed the next mo-