The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1892-10-29
her heart and soul ar. filled with one

shousht-that wonderful letter.
Alter breakfast Cornelia goes out to
| visit her district. Then Miss Ruth
takes up her pen and writes tremblingly
out OF the fallness Of her heart:
DEAk NM STANFORD: Your letter has
| sHrrrtsed ME very much. scarcely know
what to say: except that am most grateful
70 you. II is so good OF you to love me as
ed such a beautiful thing to me, though
| never thought that 1t was likely to come to
| either my sister or me. But ! am very, very
glad to have had your letter, and shall al
ways be SO, even ifyou change your mind
for, indeed, am noe worthy OF all the kind
things you say of ME. Still whatever hap
pens, shall always feel happy to know
that you once thought as you have written
v r;noHsn It seems in.periineht ofme to ad-
And am always your faithful friend.
RUTH BLAZE.
She reads the letter over several
| times and then shakes her head
How poorly l have said it, she
understand that mean WE'LL,
The curate, when he receives the
gentle, humble epistie is filled with
dismay: He PAGES wildly up and
down his small sitting-room.
"Somebody has played cruel,
heartless trick upon that poor little
woman, and have to face her and
tell her so. would rather be
shotn'
He drank his scalding tea in great
gulps, and is glad OF the pain it causes
him.
But what am / to do? Go and
tell woman-a kind, gentle, little
lady-coarsely and brutally to her
face that she has been played with
and insulted; that never dreamed OF
loving her: that it is impossible for
me to do SO? Oh, cruel and coward
lyl How can ] strike a gentlewoman,
or indeed, any woman, such blow
as that"
He rests his head upon his hands
and groans.
After while he reads the letter over
| again slowly. He reads between the
lines and seems to see soul laid bare
before him. She loves him, and he re-
Allies how much that means to her.
What a new flood OF light has been
turned suddenly upon that sad, I'M
selfish life?
And there is no help for either OF
them. He must do it, Well, then, let
it be done at once.
Mechanically he takes his hat down
from it's peg and goes out into the
| street, walking with his head bent
| down, seeing hearing nothing,
until he is close to the little green gate;
| then child's clear high voice reaches
his ear.
My gannis made it, she says.
Amt it pitty?"
cts a beautiful doll" gentle voice
answers. sis it a good baby?"
"Welly dood," the child says, tuck
ing the rag doll under one chubby
arm. olive me wose, please
Miss Ruth plucks one OF the few re-
naming June roses, one OF the pretti
est, and puts it into the little out
stretched hand.
As she turns to look after the child
Miss Ruth sees him and pauses shyly.
Something has to be said. so he comes
forward.
what n lovely evening"" he ex-
whether it rains or whether the sun
shines.
"Yes," she answers. "Won't you
were you-will you come inn"
He follows her into the house with
an intense longing for something,
however dreadful. to happen to him
and save him from what is to follow.
Ruth takes him into the dining
room. He feels vaguely that his task
is becoming more difficult. In the
bare chill, little drawing-room he
could have said his say better. But
she brought him straight into the
sanctuary of her home. and again he
feels oddly that her life lies open be-
fore him.
There is her work lying folded to-
gether. What n tiny thimble! He
glances down at the bare hands; she
has taken off her ugly gloves. What
n hit of n woman for strong man to
fight! What n gentle life to bemarred
and shattered by bitter shame.
Still Mr.. Stanford does not speak,
very pale. His back is to the window
and she cannot see his face well, but
the light falls full upon hers.
~ did not show sister your letter."
she begins hesitatingly. ~ thought /
would change your mind, think differ
be best that only we two should
know"
She does not say n word about
changing her own mind. She stands
there before him, n sweet, fair woman
in spite of her old-fashioned gown and
oddly arranged hair.
She looks Mt him with smiling,
steadfast eyes, and bids him take or
leave her as pleases him best. And
his courage to hurt. wound, perhaps
kill her. fails him. In n moment his
resolution is taken. He strides hastily
forward.
Ruth. do you love me?" he asks,
holding out his hands. And the calm
OF her face breaks up as she sinks into
his arms.
"Oh, SO much-so much!" she al
most sobs. But am not worthy OF
you. You should marry some one
ever, ever SO much better and younger
and prettier than l. Do you know"
hiding her shamed face and confessing
it as she would have confessed sin,
~ am 1872"
"And l am 3D." he answered.
"Dreadful, isn't it"
When Miss Jocelyn hears the news
she goes away suddenly on visit to
some friends.
Three years have passed, and Laura
Jocelyn is older, sadder and wiser.