The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-02-01

heart for pretty Ruth. AS they grew
older it was Darius who carried hei
books TO and from the village school and
in winter dragged her over the frozen
snow drifts on his sled. At the few
merrymakings that Stephen and his wife
would allow their young people to at
tend, Darius Harley was always at Ruth's
side.
When Ruth was fourteen she was sent
to the Friends school in a neighboring
city, from which Benjamin had already
graduated, and where Marion was then
finishing her education. The Harleys
were well to do people, and the school
was OF the best, though conducted with
extreme strictness; so when Dari Is ex-
pressed desire to attend 1t, his
wish was asgranted. / sm afraid he caused
the teachers no end of trouble, and
gained but little knowledge himself; but
he was near Ruth, aud that seemed to
satisfy both of them.
When their schooldays were over, and
Darius had returned home to work on
the farm while he was making up his
mind what business he should pursue in
life, this little drama, which has been
acted 80 often since the world began, be-
came more deeply interesting and took
on somewhat of a darker coloring.
Stephen and his good wife quickly saw
that their youngest daughter was tread
ing on dangerous ground-in fact that
there was danger of what more fashion,
able parents would have termed mesal-
lance. Therefore with the obtuseness OF
the great majority OF parents who have
the same question to face, Stephen denied
Darius entrance to his house. Thus
open warfare was at once declared without
any strategic movements being made
on old Stephens part. 1t was Darius
who resorted to strategy.
AT first the young mans only consola
tion was to go to the Friends meeting
on Sabbath days and sit with eyes steadily
fixed on a certain gray gowned and
bonneted figure far down on the other
side of the house. After few weeks
this inaction became maddeuing, and
Darius acquired habit of taking early
morning walks past the Carew home
stead in the hope of seeing Ruth.
He was not disappointed. One morn
ing he found her alone by the hedge
corner, we'll out of sight of the house.
| Then for the first time he saw how wan
and pale she looked--so different from
the light hearted girl who had come
back with him from school.
"Oh, Ruth" he exclaimed, bounding
lightly over the low wall that separated
the Carew premises from the road.
"Have you been ill7" was his first ques.
ton, as he seized her two trembling
little hands.
She shook her head, not daring to
trust her voice, and trying to smile
brightly into the eyes that gazed so anx.
iously do wn into hers. But the smile
was poor attempt, and ended in sob.
Darius drew her INTERESTINGLY to his
arms.
"It's an eternal shamel" he burst
forth. "What if am of a different re-
ligious belief from your 1t shouldn't
part US like this-and it shall not,
either, Ruth. l love you, you know l
do, and | know that you love me.," be
went on, firmly; "and if that's so, no
unjust opposition shall make us unhap-
py for life"
Father thinks he is right, Dare"
whispered Ruth, softly, clinging to the
strong arm of her lover.
"That makes it all the harder-for
u.s." responded Darius. "I've been
waiting to see you, dear, before. l go
away, for l wanted to hear from your
own lips that you loved me and that you
would wait until l could earn a home
for you"
"Father and mother will never give
their consent"
"But you love me, Ruth2"
"Yes, Dare"
"Then, said the young man, bravely,
''we will find some way to overcome
their opposition. I've been offered a
clerkship in my cousin Henderson's store
in the city, with chance to be partner
il | like the business. I'll go tomorrow,
and as soon as Tm on my feet shall
come and ask for YOU"
But Ruth only sobbed softly and clung
to his arm.
Stephen Carew heardof young Ha.ley's
departure with feeling of relief. With |
the cause removed, he thought, with the
blindness Of his masculine mind, that
Ruth would soon become her old self /
again. Sister Hephzibah might have
told him differently, but it had never
been Stephens way to ask advice from
that quarter, nor did his wife expect to
give any. She lived in little world
by herself-a world of cooking,
cleaning, and mending-and her great
disappointment had always been
that neither of her girls had
shown the same love for baking aud
brewing that made her a kitchen
drudge through all her married life.
With aching heart she saw Rlth's
slowly waning health aud her lack of
interest in the events of their every day
life. Stephen, too, could not help motto.
ing tho change which had come over
his daughter; yet neither thought of
bending their will hairs breadth to
Ruth's wish. Their duty demanded
that their children should be Joined to
none but those of their own sect, not to
the worlds people. Still the girls ST.
lent suffering caused lines of care to
show more deeply on Hephzbahs face,
aud Stephens grlzLled halr grew whittier
day by day.