Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1900-04-27
GRANDPA BATES

$50 you think grandpa and grandma
bave had n romance in their lives, do
You childreny Well, as you've found
me out, suppose I'll have to sit down
and tell you the whole story"
Sturdy old Grandpa Bates, whom
everybody in Harrisville loved, honor
ed and venerated, sat down in the
large time-worn rockingham which
had been presented to him on his we'd
ding day and gazed down at his two
grandchildren, who with eager, ex-
pectant gaze awaited the beginning of
his story.
when ! was but twelve years old 1
moved flom Canada to Harrisville,
Western Massachusetts. l was put in
the same class with your grandmother
at school. But l hated girls; that is,
until three years after my entrance in
to that class.
zone day my eye rested on Ruth
Ashford, which was your grandma's
name then. she was hard to work
over a difficult problem in mathe-
matics. Her flushed cheeks were the
pi ture of girlish innocence and beauty
aud a light-blue dress served to hight
en- the color. / was smitten. 1, who
had always been foremost in deriding
and ridiculing any companion who
might be taken with the charms of
feminity, fell head over heels in boy
ish love. Your grandma reciprocated
r'y affections, and many were the
llissful hours we spent together.
only too short was our happiness.
Imtlls mother was a woman of the
world She had other views for her
daughter than the son of shoemaker.
So it was that / was forbidden to see
or hear from my beloved
81 forsoOk my old companions and
haunts, became silent and melancholy,
and acted in such a manner that my
parents grew frightened at the depths
of what they considered a boyish,
temporary passion.
FINALLY they bundled me off to
Texas, where the change of scene, out
door life and activity were pronounced
sure cure for love-sickness.
"SiX years l passed in the wilds of
Texas. The sting Of the separation
from my darling gradually wore off,
but in its place there came that deep
set affection which lasted from that
lay to this. Ny twcnty-first birthday
came, and l resolved to go home, to
wander over the spots where in com
rany with my loved one / whiled away
the idle hours Of youth
my long Journey ended burst in on
my folks one day while they were at
dinner. For about an hour l did moth
Ing but ask and answer questiOns but
not one word was spoken about the
girl who was nearest my heart, whom
| had travelled all the way home to
see
Were they trying to conceal some
thing from me? Had something hap
pened to my darling while | was
away? Had she got married? Oh,
God! the thought was enough to drive
me mad
AT last I found a chance to ask
mother how Ruth was getting along.
In trembling tones she answered: My
poor boy, you must prepare for a great
shock. Six weeks ago Ruth was taken
Ill with typhoid fever, and though she
has rallied at times, the report to-day
is that she is dying
II waited to hear no more, but
seized my hat and rushed from the
| house. One object was before me-
must reach hcr bedside before she
died. | reached the gate leading to the
AshfOrds house. and in my blind
haste almost knocked over DR.. Duff
field, who had Just arrived to see his
patient. 1 introduced myself, and then
begged him to hurry down and
acquaint me with any news of the
sick girl. had not long to wait. In
a few moments he came back, and
even before he spoke l knew my dar-
ling was dying.
ooh, the agony of that moment. l
begged permission Of Mrs Ashford to
see Ruth, and as the doctor acquiesced
my boon was granted.
"There on the bed rested my Ruth,
her cheeks sunken and wasted with fe-
yer and looking but shadow OF her
former self. With a glad smile of well
come she greeted me, although no
words fell from her lips. l took her
small hand in my large tanned ones
| and sat down beside the bed. The
shadows deepened into darkness, but
/ still | sat there holding my darling's
hand. Ruth had sunk into srumber.
! dared not move for fear of disturb
ing her. Hour after hour passed un-
I I'll rays Of light began to herald the
return of day. At last Ruth awoke.
\ heavenly smile lighted up her feat
ures rs she whispered to me: 81 knew
/ you would come. Harold
From that day her recovery was
but a matter of time, and one year
/ later we were married, and a happy
1 marriage it has proved for me-"
"ADd for me, too" chimed in grand
ma, who, unnoticed, had entered the
/ room.