The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-02

iurn. that we get any view OF Ruth; ana
fyen this does not destroy her charm. In
A confidential talk with the reader, Mabel
is recounting her rivals fiirtations and her
)wn disappointments. 80 many eligible
gounR men have been rejected that Ruth
also seems likely 20 become an old maid.
Apparently she did not care, for she
sailed about just i'm the same old fash
ion, sometimes looking as il life was
100 much for her altogether, and then,
rs it were, shaking herself into action
again and glinting round with her
black eyes TO see what fresh victim she
could find upon whom TO practice her
lascinations. / suppose 1t was her
boldness that took the men. She was
so bold, and yet she never gave me the
idea of being at all courageous, for
when you stood right up TO her she al
ways seemed 10 give in-as the boys
would call il, to 'knuckle under"
remember once was sitting in Bon
ner's in the new tearooms, you know,
which everybody in Blankhampton
finds such a comfort. The principal
room was large, lovely apartment,
with five windows overlooking st.
Thomas street. Ruth Jeaffreson had
iust before been very dangerously Ill.
/ daresay she thought she looked in
tcresting on account of it, but thought
how plain she was when she came in
md ordered some tea, sitting down at
the next window to mine. The window
was n little open and she shut it, taking
up Punch and burying herself in il
with an air of interest which knew
perfectly well she was far from feel
ing. / really did not see, If the girl had
been i'll, that she need expect the whole
OF q great public tearoom to be entire
ly at her disposal. felt the day most
sultry and oppressive, so / opened my
window, and / rested my elbow on the
ledge, so that she could not possibly
find any excuse for shutting il again.
She never even looked up--too great n
coward, YOU lSnow--she never moved.
she never so much as raised her head Or
quivered an eyelid, but when her tea
came, or whatever il was she had or
dered, she said, in the most meek tone
you can possibly imagine: 'Put ii at
the furthest table. feel the draught."
Bonner's old head waiter was fool; /
had always thought SO. He asked her
if she would like him TO ask me TO have
the window shut. He spoke sotto voce,
but heard il for all that, and made up
my mind that would say "No!" But
do you think that girl stood up to me :?
Not bit of it; she just said: "Oh, no."
aloud and in the most absolutely in
different way, mot at all. Twill move;
it's all the same to me where sit" And
move she did. i knew she had only
come into Bonner's TO look over the pa
pers that are always lying about, Punch,
and the "Plc.," and the Queen, and all
those. Nobody else happened to come
in, excepting one old lady who was evil
IDENTIFY from the country and wanted
TO add up her purchases while she got
iher afternoon tea, and there that Ruth
Jeaffreson stayed, and j determined I
would see her out. Icouldn't very well
shut the window after had opened ~
indeed, believe to this day that she
determined she would stay me out, just
t. keep that window open. 1t was a
horrid cold day at the beginning of
Moy-you know how cold May is some
tiInes-with n bitter east wind blow
ing, and / was simply chilled through
md through before that hateful girl
got up and sailed away down the street
as IL the whole world belonged to her.
i never even had the satisfaction OF
knowing that she was i'll after it. Twas.
i was in bed for six weeks with bron-
chitis. That didn't make me like Ruth
Jeaffreson any the better.
Yes, she was coward; If ever a COW,
ard trod the earth that girl was one.
j was coming out of the parish one Sun
day evening-you know the parish
doors are all protected inside by what
you might call hoods OF carved oak,
like a little room, with q couple of
swing doors TO break the draught to
the end of the navel was rather in
hurry to get out, and l saw Ruth in
front of me with her old mother. Nat.
urally, l did not cringe back because
she was there, and perhaps did push
against her--I think somebody pushed
against me from behind-but she was