The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-24
REDEEMED BY LOVE.
A Note of Warning and What Followed

had played on the sands when we were so
little that each one was care to the other.
Together we had toddled, hand in hand, to
tie primary school and sauntered arm in
arm to the Foundation. Together we had
sailed within the retreat of the harbor and
then over the rolling bar into the rock
bound bay. until we dared venture on the
mightv surges of the Atlantic and had
tested and proved our blood by circum-
navigating the island.
And when / left for the university there
bad been no coQuetry, no doubt. "God
bring you back to me, Ralph" said Ruth,
as she stood within arms reach of me on
the point of the pier. Pm not leaving
you. dear: I'm simply preparing our
home" said /. as l leaned over the rail
from the deck.
Each day of the four years. varying as
il did in storm, sunshine, heat and cold,
was constant in this single Joy: letter
from Ruth to ne and a letter from me to
Ruth.
And when l returned with my degree,
and we sailed again over the rolling bar.
beyond the dark, shadowy waters of the
hay, and cut on the bread ocean unit our
island home was but smudge like sea
scud on The horizon. every wave which
embraced Us ana lifted US up seemed to
say: ct was yesterday that we greeted
you, and tomorrow We shall greet you
again..
All through that summer we sailed over
the tracklesS waters whose paths were
we'll defined to Us. We were both expert,
but Ruth was the better sailor. as she was
nay superior in all respects. / was apt TO
be- Indifferent, unmindful, eurapt with
dreams; but there was an In Stnct of
" TINA
and complete. Often when | was far
away within the Temple of Fame, at work
q that niche which surely was to be mine
Der quick hand on the sheet had saved US
from capszng. Perhars | was the more
careless since | felt that wherever Ruth
WAS there also were peace and security
How we talked over our future, for
there never had been time when that
future hadn't been ours. | was to GO to
the city in the autumn and enter the law
school. How faithfully l would work and
how learned | would becomel And then,
when | had established myself in my pre-
fession, we were to be married and buy a
cottage. with surrounding grounds, in the
suburban university town whose shades | /
loved so well; and Ruth did, too, because
! did, and ever after we were to be happy,
aS we ever had heen-tUgether.
W e each had little money, small enough !
In aggregate. yet we believed that il would !
keep US until my success came. My sue /
we drew! | was TO be 4 great advocate of |
course, a dread TO all designing men. but !
tower OF strength, especially 10 the weak 1
and the unfortunate. Besides - though /
this besides" was generally my own
there was my divine gift, my pOesy. What I
golden showers might it not cOnjure for (
lis l had indeed won quite a name for
occasional verse. for which | had facility,
but this was nothing to what that u topian |
some DAY" should bring when the great
poem OF which | was always dreaming was
published and the bav leaves were bound /
about by brows by admiring thrOngs
But never neglect the real for the
l. al Ruth would say gravelY. eve /
c,.1 get along without the pinnacle, but
lot without the foundation. Future fancy
: nleasanter than present duty. but / pre-
ter or cottage 70 your temple with its
aichc, don't yOV?"
sweet little Ruth. so prudent, so wiSel
Sae should have her cottage surely | vowed, /
bgl as we sat on its veranda at eventide /
We could zee the sunlight gliding the NINA !
7 IS Of tEat pie also.
The autumn came and brought the day (
OF nv departure. Again Ruth stood on /
the point Of the pier; again | leaned over the /
ran: again we talked as if never before we /
had talked until the captain shouted, the .
gangway was drawn. and the hawsers +
ioosed. Then, as the paddles churned, /
Ruth stretched on tip Of toe. Here, Ralph, +
dear!" she cried and she reached me
note"
Rather puzzled-tor this was not like /
Rnti-I went into the cabin and read it.
II WAS but line:
Ralph: / ask you to be suspicious of Frank
Dunbar. RUTH.
How surprising, how iucompreheusiblel
] might almost as well be suspicious of
RUTH Yet that almost was long word, /
believe me. But Frank Dunbar. my
friend! My roommate at the university.
How could | he suspicious of one who was
constant IN kindness to me, whom | re-
spected fer his character, and hOnOred for
his ability? Surely. something which |
had said in my laundering way must have
misled Ruth; vet what had i said. except
almost doubted Ruins judgment. But,
again, that almost" was a long word
believe me.
Frank Dunbar! How spotless, how noble
he appeared, as | considered him. His
nickname revealed his real character, as
nickuames always do. Perfection" Dun
Darl Never had he varied a hairbreadth
from the line Of duty. Never had he taken
part in frO!lcs-rarely in pleasures. Work
was MS DrefereDce-work that told. He
had led his class, but this had not suffieed.
His eXuberant energy had mastered the
modern languages and the theory of music.
! ct he was never prig. lie sympathiZ
with the weakness Of Others though he
had none himself. NC one could laugh
more heartily over scrapes, nor picture
Tevelry more entcingly. But when others,
after such conversation. rushed headlon
and needless into trouble Frank returned
TRANQUILITY to his books. He never preached,
never sought 10 inculcate his principles.
That is what we all liked in him. Often
he would say 10 me, $50 ahead, old how.
WHATS the difference? Enjoy your
ynutbP Yet he was year younger
than l.
lie was such a prudent fellow, too, was
Frank. He lived like the rest of US, but
he Disseminated between comfort and ex.
rrayagance. So while we were generally
ID debt. and sometimes il distress, he al
ways had plenty of money. | used to be
Z sorry for him. He couldn't LEND, for
he had promised his father, and he would
grieve lest his inability should be miscon-
stTued.
Frank was ambitious. truly No young
squire, emIlous of his spurs, could have
been more so. Yet he was distrnstful of
his powers. Il can't d. what you fellows
DO" he would say. humbly. Il must stick
10 my treadmill" And, while we all
realized his mental as we'll as moral superb
oTIty we liked him the better for yelling