The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-09-06

TO say word to the latter.
Ruth was at the other end of the
garden, tying up rosebuSh, that was
drooring to the earth with the weight
of its fragrant burden.
Miss Ruth is growing up very pretty,
groaned the old hypocrite, with a dole
full shake of the head.
Miss Pringle glanced at Ruth in dis
may. True SO she was. The blush
roses were not half so fair and sweet as
the bright young face that was bending
over them.
And there's more than one OF the
same opinion, I'm thinking, addeu
Jonas, slylY, pointing to the spot where
Edgar raven had been stan ding for
some minutes, gazing at the pretty pic
ture before him, with all his soul in his
eyes.
Good morning, Miss Pnngle, said
Edgar, as soon as he saw he was OBJ
served. was going to ask you for one
of your blush-roses.
It's another kind of rose he's after.
muttered Jonas, with sardonic grin.
The pleasant bow and smile that ac-
companied Edgar's words would have
found their way to almost any other
heart, but they Only added fuel to the
irate spinster's fury and indignation.
Go INTO the house this instant, Ruth,
she shrieked. As for you, young man,
she added turning to Edgar, and max
ing fierce lunge at him with her cane,
If you're not off instanter, I'Il-Tll send
for policeman.
With glance of compassion at the
retreating girl, and ditto of defiance
at Jonas who seemed to be enjoying
his discontinue hugely, Edgar walked
off. After this, Ruth was never allowed
to stir aboard without her aunt, or
Polly, the old domestic, at her heels.
Poor Ruth these were sorrowful
days for her. Sometimes she caught a
glimpse OF Edgar in the distance, but
she never dared to look twice at him.
But one day Polly and her mistress
went out, taking the precaution, how
ever, to lock the doors after them. And
as Ruth sat, with her sewing lying idly
upon her knee, and her heart far away,
the object OF her thoughts suddenly
made his appearance through the open
window.
Ruth was in a perfect tremor of de-
light and alarm.
If my aunt should return and find
you here she cried, as she blushlngly
released herself from his arms.
don't care if she does, SAID Edgar,
taking seat upon the sofa, and draw
ing Ruth down beside him. The old
ogress What does she say about me,
Ruth 2-what terrible crime does she
charge me with2
She says that you are IA man
faltered Ruth, as she hid her eyes on
her lovers shoulder.
And so | am, returned the young
man, laughing. And | never so rejoic-
ed in the self same fact until | knew
you, darling. l could not love you
halt SO well If l were a woman!
Ruth hardly knew what to say in re-
ply to this logic, but she knew that she
was very happy seated by his side, with
his arm round her, and wished that it
was not SO feeting.
In this way, Edgar continued to have
several interviews with Ruth, unknown
to any one except Jonas Qulmby, who
slyly watched the pair, chuckling oyer
the certainty that it gave him OF inherit
ing his cousins long coveted estate.
The lovers laid many plans to bring
about the realization of their mutual
wishes, but none of them seemed feast.
Bile. And finally death saved them any
further trouble by suddenly foreclosing
the long mortgage he had held upon
Ruth's grim old guardian.
Miss Pringle' left will, in which she
bequeathed her whole estate both real
and personal, TO her niece Ruth. But
to this was added the following singular
codicil:
'Whereas, it has long been my
settled conviction that every man,
born on the face OF the earth, is
cruel, deceittul and treacherous, in
case my niece, Ruth Pringle, marries
any such, the property devised to
her in the above will shall go to my
cousin, Jonas Quimby, to him and
TO his heirs, and forever"
But despite this, Edgar and Ruth
were quietly married a few weeks
later to Jonas Qulmby's great salts
faction, who Immediately made a
formal demand for the estate.
| don't see what right you have to
it, said Ruth's husband, coolly. The
will runs, in case she marries any
many born on the face of the earth.
To be sure, responded Jonas, rub
ing his hands together with an air OF
satisfaction, that was way the old
lady had of expressing herself. l
suppose you we're born on the face
of the earth, wasn't you? he added
jocosely.
Not a bit of it, my good sir. By
what | now consider a fortunate ac-
cldent, was born in the mines OF
of c., nearly half a mile beneath
it; my parents having made a de,
scent into them on that eventful day,
and which resulted in my unexpect-
ed and undesired appearance upon
the stage Of life. True, l don't re-
member anything about it myself,
but there is lady sitting yonder
who does. and whose testimony