Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-12-29
ANNAPOLIS MD, MONDAY EVENING. DECEMBER &C. 1890.
A QUEER MATCH.
BY CHARLES 0 srIckNly

lt'h ksNr "May heaven VOWS, 1Lu tas.sS ~to
You give away myself, which Is known
mine.
For by voe am so embodied yours
A neighbor OF mine at Bridgton. in
western Maine. while making brief
STAY in rural town in New \ ork some
years ago, became acquainted With a
young married couple, from whom he
obtained the following curious story
of real life. He can vouch for the
truth Of it, as this couple were not
only worthy, reli .ble persons but were
then selA es the parties concerned in the
affair / tell the tale substantially as
twas tcid me, except for the substitu-
ton Of fictitious names.
On the pleasant picturesque shore of
Lake George stood the fine old man
sion OF Adam Belmont, an aged
widower who, with a young house
keeper named Ruth Wilson, and her
two brothers for hired men, were the
sole occupants of his spacious, elegant
abode.
BY rigid industry and strict economy
he had worked his way step by step up
the ladder of fortune, until now, in
the decline of life, he could rejoice in
the possession of one of the finest, most
fertile, and best located farms in
Warren county, together with other
prope, ty His wife had been dead
many years; and Thomas and George,
his only children, wild, dissoMte
scamrs, unwilling to submit to their
fathers staid authority, had left the
paternal roof while yet in their teens,
ard gone to seek amid the vices and
excitement of city life those pursuits
most congcnial to their depraved
tastes. Then the old gentleman was
seft with none but strangers to care for
him. These, however. he found much
better company than his unruly, dissi-
pated sons.
Every pleasant week day he would
stroll about over his broad domain to
look at the thriving crops, to direct
his laborers, and to enjoy the warm
sun and bracing air; then, when tired
of this, his favorite exercise, he would
slowly retrace his steps to the house,
and taking a seat by the front window,
sit looking out upon the delightful
scenery-the lake and its romantic
borders.
But by-and-by came the time when
he could no longer enjoy his daily
rambles. The iron constitution which
had sustained him to ripe old age
was now yielding to the weight of
years; and by brief illness he became
so reduced in strength that he could
move about only by the aid Of crutches.
His wayward sons heard Of their
fathers illness with unfeigned Joy.
9 The old fellow will soon be out OF
the way" they said, and then won't
we go itr
They fastened home. Nothing
could exceed their expressions of con-
cern for his health. They addressed
him by every endearing title; they
seemed unwilling to be absent a mo-
ment from his side. But skilled as
they were in the practices of deception,
they signally failed in this instance,
for their parent, though old and feeble,
was too shrewd and discerning a man
not to discover their real motive, and
an obstinate silence on his part was all
the return they received for their
duplicity. But as he recovered in a
measure from his illness. instead OF
obligingly dying in order to crafty
their base wishes, and. moreover, as
there was no prospect of his immediate
demise, the two worthless again de-
parted, to await the time, which they
hoped was not far distant, when they
should be summoned to attend his
funeral.
Mr.. Belmont's housekeeper, Ruth
Wilson, was one of the kindest, most
cheerful, and withal most industrious
beings that ever ministered to the
wants of age or soothed the brow of the
sufferer. From early morn to the late
hours of evening her hands were busy
but though ever so deeply engaged,
she would leave her work the instant
she heard her employers voice. and
cheerfuliy hasten to do his bidding.
And now that he had become nearly
helpless, her attention to him in
creased A stranger, if present, would
naturally have supposed she was his
daughter and that her increasing
assiduties were prompted by filial
affection. But Ruth was in no way
related to him, and as her wages were
moderate-that is, about the same
generally paid in that locality for like
seryices-her conduct could be attrib-
uted to no such selfish motives. No,
she was only obeying the natural inn
pulses of her own heart.
Mr.. Belmont was not unmindful Of
her worth. She had watched with
him day and night; she had toiled
hard to keep both his home and ward
robe clean and tidy; she had striven
in every way to alleviate his distress.
Of all this he thought as he sat, one
afternoon, leaning back in his easy
chair, and as he mused new idea
seized him.
Ruth had for some time been en-
gagged to young farmer of that town,
Charles Edgeworth, who, although
clever and industrious, had the mis-
fortune, If we may so term it, to be
poor Though deeply attached to each
other, the two mutually concluded TO
postpone marriage till they should
have accumulated earnings sufficient
to buy some cosy little cottage and
furnish it in comfortable style. Mr..
Edgeworth used frequently, when his
days work was done, to come over in
his boat to Mr. Belmont's to spend the
evening; and It was on one of these
visits that he was made acquainted
with what might weil be termed a
rather singular proposition.
Ii was at the close of a glorious
summer day that Ruth, leaving her
aged employer at his favorite seat by
the window stepped ont at the front
doorway and walked slowly a few rods
down the gravelled walk leading to
the water. when she paused, and lean
ing against giant elm, stood gazing