Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-19
LOVE in A CABIN.
-And this is homel"

And this is homer
Ruth Delano gazed about her with a
mingled feeling Of wonder Joy and disap.
pointment Three thousand miles had she
travelled across the continent to reach the
home her husband had prepared for her,
and this is what she found:
A lonely ranch among the foothills in
southern California, with plain log cabin
for home. Not vestige OF a plant or
flower around it, hills stretching brown
and bare under the July sun and not "A
shade tree in sight
Zone might know there never had been a
woman near this place" said Ruth, her
eyes slowly filling with tears. It seemed
30 comfortless and barren after leaving her
mothers old fashioned farmhouse in Maine.
full to overlooking with inviting, com.
Portable things, and surrounded with flower
gardens and orchards and where every
nook and corner suggested the deft hands
Of woman. She felt her very heart sink.
ing within her
Then, seeing theeyes of her husband fixed
upon her, she forced back the tears
Had she not said, like Ruth of old,
WHITTIER thou goest will go. and whittier
thou lodgest viii lodge2'
Would any place, no matter how full OF
comfort it might be, ever be home without
himp Had she and her baby Ruth not
wept tears of JOY when the letter came tell.
ing them that papa was coming from Cali.
fornia to take them homer And had not
every foot of the way been joy TO think
he was once more with them and that they
were to have n homer
She stroked the hand Of her husband.
who held their little Ruthie in his arms,
smiling through her tears
II know, dear, il Is a new country" she
said cheerfully, and you have done the
best you could"
1t was the truly wifely spirit and in his
heart he blessed the true woman who said IT,
"All the ranches look kind of desolate,"
he said, where there's no one but men
about, but now we've got little woman
here things will soon be looking different"
Inside Of the house she found everything
neat at least, and that was a great comfort
TO her, and II the parlor was barren look
ing with no carpet upon it the kitchen was
full Of contrivances which women like, and
she knew that John had thought of them
for her
After supper they sat down on the little
porch in front Of the cabin to talk Of plans
for future work. IL was Just at sunset,
and as Ruth sat placidly looking at the
view in front Of her which, after all was "A
fine one, taking in glimpse Of the blue
Pacific and background Of purple noun
tains, she began To lose the undertone Of
homesickness which had 80 marred her
homecoming. She thought how beautiful
a home might really be under the shadow
of the lifted pines, and she resolved with
Johns help, she could make hers one TO be
proud Of As il in answer TO her thought
John went into the house and returned in
moment laden with two parcels which he I
dropped into her lap
"There, Ruth" he said: you can't guess
what these are, can your"
~ am afraid not" Ruth said, eying the /
mysterious looking packages wonderingly. ]
well, you. know the house isn't very
beautiful yet" said John, his good face
fairly shining with the little secret he had
in store for her But | guess you'll find
something in each OF those parcels that will
help you beautify it,"
What could he mean; Ruth took up the
lighter but larger one first. To her surprise
it was full OF garden seeds, small packages
Of every kind almost she could think of.
well, how lOvelyW she said. Now we
shall raise all the vegetables we need, and
our garden will rival dear mothers at
home" H
Yes" John replied, and go ahead Of it,
for California beats the world for flowers,
and your garden will be just as lovely in
winter as in summer. There are % varie-
ties OF roses alone among that collection Of
seeds"
isn't it wonderful TO think Off" cried
Ruth, as delighted as a child over her
treasures. And what can be in herei" sha
continued as she opened the second parcel.
Wonders will never cease" she exclaimed
the next moment as he poured a whole bag
NJ her At.H - L. .