St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-11-23
Selected Stnrp-
HE SAILED AWAY.


AnoIcd rocker, looking out at the
broad expanse OF water, which ex-
.a.ded as far as the eye could reach.
Thsre the ocean seemed to meet the
taovens. and the dividing line was
,nst IN the summer haze. When she
wa, vas a child, Ruth used to wonder if
the ships sailed right up to heaven
nhen they went out of sight over the
sea But in later years she learned
better. for her father, who was Sec
ond mate of the Dolphin, always
came back after his long voyages.
lie died when Ruth was ten, and she
remembered him only vaguely.
Since then she and her mother had
lived in the modest little cottage in
Arlington.
Arlington is a sea-coast, but not a
seaport, town, and in the days OF
which | write depended upon the
next town, from which many vessels
sailed, for almost everything. The
Unions, mother and daughter, were
not poor; they owned small inter
est in a whaer, of which Mrs. Lin
toms father had been captain, and
the house and garden were their
own
ANY one, including her enemies, if
she had any, which is doubt ul -
would have called Ruth pretty as
she sat by the window on this partlc-
uar evening. In fact, she was pretty
at any time; never beautiful, but
simple and daintily pretty. She WI S
twenty, and looked 1t, in her dress OF
fresh, white Indian muslin. The two
blush rosebuds which she wore in her
dark brown hair, and at her throat
were little less delicate than the pink
Of her cheeks. She had dark blue
eyes, a nose which was so near like
other noses that it was not coz
spicuous either for its symmetry or
lis i'll shape, and a mouth large
enough so that when she smiled she
showed two rows OF perfect teeth.
In those two days Ruth laughed a
good deal. She was laughing now
at the antics of pet kitten that
had wound herself in ball OF red
worsted with which Ruth had been
working, until she struggled des-
perately, but unsuccessiully to be
free.
The tea things had been cleaned
away, and it was just beginning to
be dusk. Ruth was not a romantic
girl, but she loved to sit in the
shadow which the blush rose'bush
made about the window, look off at
The ships going and coming over the
sea. and think. Now she was think
ing, but not of the ships.
Every evening when Ray Mannard
closed the village store, he used to
stop at the Widow Lintons cottage
and he didn't stop entirely to see the
widow. On Thursdays and Sun
DAYS he walked home with Ruth
from the little Methodist meeting
house, after prayer meeting, and
they sometimes went to party OF
excursion, but not often.
Ray was twenty-five, and just TIT
sort of fellow whom one woulo
expect a girl like Ruth to fall in love
with. Perhaps the term in the case
of these two young people has beer
wrongly applied. 1t would have
been hard Tor either of them to have
told when they "fell' in love. II
had been steady growth, going or
ever since they were little children
1t had been understood, not only by
Ruth and Ray, but by the two faml
lies as well, that some day the.
should marry. But there was M
hurry on either side. Ruth was neve
Jealous il Ray walked or talked will
another girl in the village, and IA.
was far from being suspicious II h
found young villager on the iron
porch or in the little parlor when h
stopped in on his way home from tn
store. The perfect confidence who
they had in one another made thei
lives run on smoothly and peace
fully. Tonight Ray did not whist
when he opened the gate an
hurried up the flower-set walk. III
face was troubled, and it was som
time before Ruth could understand
But it came at last.
Ruth he said, lam going ava,
cannot always stay here, workin
and drudging, with small pay an
few thanks"
He hurried on. not giving Ruth a
opportunity to express her views G
so serious a question as Rays lea
ing her. She looked frightened
first; then waited patiently.
MY uncle in New York." ia
continued, "has made me a mo-
excellent offer to represent his hou
in the East Indies. | want none
and influence, and when return IN
year, | want Ruth Linton Tor II
little wife"
Ruth said but little. The nev
was so sudden and she would mi
Ray so much.
"Ony promise me that you w
wait for me-" said Ray.
"Why, of course will wait for yo
Ray, DEAR" answered the girl,
most wondering that she should