Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-08-05


-sla31 - handsome creature
SA - gave vent to her high
%z>-=sy'.- spirits in merry peals
of laughter.
"But the danger of it-have you
thought of that, RUTH"
There was such gravity in the elder
ly lady's tones that the buoyant young
woman began to look quite serious her.
self. She came and seated herself by
the others side, and taking the plump,
soft hand between her strong fingers
began earnestly:
You know, auntie, the up-todate
woman of to-day must do her own
thinking; hitherto others have been in
the habit of thinking for her, while
she simply acquiesced or was falter-
ingly negative. The up-to-date wo-
man leads, instead of follows. 1t is in
affairs of the heart that she asserts her
new position. I am like the rest. I
am simply endeavoring to do what
men have been in the habit of doing.
They have overlong been pampered
with the fancy that they We're strong,
women weak As for the two young
men, am simply sitting them. The
one / can best manage, rule, lead,
that one shall be my choice"
"Humph! Not much affair of the
heart about that, L think as for man
aging or leading man, that has not
been the style Of courting il L recol-
lect." The speaker drew her hand
away from the firm grasp, rose and
looked down upon the beautiful young
Amazon before her.
Il fear, Ruth" said she, after a
pause, you are wrong in your ideas
of men and women"
Gas women used to be, perhaps;
but it is different now. We live in a
new atmosphere, so to speak. How
ever, auntie, it is not for us to quarrel
because we cannot think alike. L am
going out for ride, you know"
Shortly afterward, when Ruth
mounted her spirited bay, there was a
look of triumph upon her face that
told she had solved question of grave
perplexity.
Excepting for her grace of form
and rare beauty, the girl is a veritable
man, indeed, mentally commented
Aunt Hope as she followed with her
eyes the dashing figure until it disap-
peared around the bend of the road.
When Ruth drew near the river
bank she saw that the waters had
risen during the night; what was yes
terday smoothly rolling stream was
now dashing, turbulent swollen
torrent bearing upon its troubled sur
face logs, trees torn up by the roots,
parts of timbers and other debris,
The little town below was partly in
undated, and men were hurrying from
house to house with boats, removing
women and children from their posi-
tions of danger. 1t was thrilling
spectacle, and as Ruth gazed upon it
she felt anew that longing to manage,
rule, lead.
'Why cannot I do something to
prove that l am as good as man on
such occasions as this?" came through
her lips and she reined back the bay
that snorted and quivered as the water
rushed by with a roar.
Two well-dressed young men were
standing side by side gazing upon the
wild scene.
ooh! If I could but he one of those
men" came from Ruth's lips. She
urged her horse near the pair; they
both glanced up and lifted their hats
at the same time.
"a sad affair, Miss Hope" said the
blonde young man with the blue eyes
and red lips-lips that seemed to be
perpetually smiling
eyes, a dangerous time, too, I take
it, said she, pointing with her riding
whip toward the town where the men
in boats were engaged in the good
work.
''The danger there is but slight.
The water has not risen so high YET
but that all viii! reach places of safety
The danger is higher up the river.
The land is lower there and the peo.
pie, unless they have removed from
their houses, will be placed unfor
tunately'
1t was the dark young man who
spoke His was face of strength
There We're lines about his mouth, 4
CLEAN in his dark brown eyes that told
of spirit that would be hard to man
age, rule or lead
Ere Ruth could reply . cry came
from the lips of the blonde man
"Look for Heavens sake. A baby il
u crib"
There upon the surface of the
troubled stream, tossing about like &
! bubble, was a rockerIcrib. In it was
n tiny child wildly wailing and looking
at the mad water in babyish fright.
eff that crib strikes the floating de
bris below it will capzise, and -
And Ruth covered her eyes with