Nevada County picayune., 1889-10-09
tie as it sweeps in, hushing the means

VIZ 90 ~ cNttlo lis ehS hbOaiio
of the wounded.
There is something else occupying
his thoughts as we'll. Ruthie has
written to him often since his first
letter; she writes to ''chcer him up" ]"
she says. She is doing more than
that, however. She is winning his
first true, passionate love. Does she
comprehend? Harley believes she
does. Her name is on his lips.
whats dat you be a-sayin' :,
massa!" A black face full of sym
pathy looks into his, and the old col
ored nurse smooths back his hair and
continues, 80 We knowed the young
missus dat lived hyar afore she went
norf, did YEP
A suspicion of some sweetIy
strange coincidence flashed across
his mind, as he thinks Of her.
Miss Ruth"
Yes, sab. She's awful good, and
as lubly as she is good. Takin' kcer
oh her ole fader now in de norf !;
pretty tuff | lowed for gal O sew
enteen, sab, but she's pow'ful res
lutte, Ruth is. Knowed her ever
since she war baby, sab! How
someber, my ole heart aches to see
this illigant house ruined, but |
'spose it's doin' the Lords business
now, massa. -
Harley's recovery was slow and
tedious. The fact that it would be
weeks before he could go about on
crutches was what kept him so very
pale and quiet, however. No, it was
something heavier still he would be
cripple for life. Not that he
dreaded the sacrifice for his country :;
no, he glorled in that. But he was a
hopeless, helpless, penniless cripple,
barring possible pension, and he
| loved Ruthie. He had written to
her of the converting of her old
home into hospital for the soldiers,
and that he was passing days and
weeks of pain under its ample roof.
Then after he could stand it no Ion
ger he wrote more about his manned
condition; ''for life" he had said in
bitterly expressed sentence. 1t
would soon be time to receive her re-
ply. He had hoped to soon tell her
of his love but, of course, it was all
over with him: he would not ask her
to link her sweet, young life with
that of poor cripple.
Summer had merged into fall
September had come. Harley had
received Ruthie's letter, and what q
letter it was; he could only read it
and think, while his heart beat as
never before and his blood ran
"warmly on and on 1t seemed to
him that she loved him more for his
aflljctiOn.
One day the surgeon said to him:
500 home; you're going to get the
fever unless you do"
Harley wanted to 90 bad enough,
but after all, when it came to the
point he dreaded that she should see
him crippled and emaciated as he
was, Other cOnvalescents were 60
inc home--home to wife, mother, sis
ter ank sweetheart. He had no one
to be joyous at his coming unless
well he would go.
1t was October now; in merry New
England autumn had made good
progress with her astistic work; the
crimson leaves tluttered here and
there, and wild grapes hung, purple
amid their browning tendrils.
They were wandering slowly
among the hills, Harley and Ruth.
The flush of health was coming back
to his pale cheek and he could han
die his crutch better than when she,
with careful, loving hand, guided
him out to the dear old hills for the
first time.
To-day she was planning. "When
the war Is over" she was saying
"we will go home. The old place
can be repaired" "
But -" and Harley turned
away his head, gulping down the rest
of the sentence with the disappoint-
ing misery of his condition.
"There, never mind, dear" said
Ruth, coming closer to lend a white
taper hand in assisting him over a
rough place IN the path. Il am GER
tain God intends shall take care of
YOU, Harley, and | shall love to do it.
shall always be proud of my soldier
boy; but" she added, meditatively,
never dreamed wohld learn to knit
his hose among his native hills, while
he was battling for me in the home
II