The Newtown bee., 1900-11-02
THE BEE.
500 3975
The Home Circle
THE UNKNOWN ALTERNATIVE.

THE UNKNOWN ALTERNATIVE. AS BETWEEN ENos WRIGHT AND RUTH
 ALDEN.-[ELIZABET ROBBINS IN
 SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN,.
 "Now, Cynthy, you just sit still and lei me see to gettin' the supper my chores are all done, and I'll tend to 1t soon's get this milk strained"
 There was in Enos's voice little note of command that his sister was used te obey, and she sank back again into tht old chinlz covered rocking chair, iron which she had started up when he en tered the kitchen. She watched hin wlstfully as he went back and forth, do ing the work she felt that she ought to be doing. He was in his shirtsleeves, a well-buils man of 40 or less, with eyel that were keen and yet kindly, and ful darK beard that nearly hid fresh com plexion.
 When the table was set, Enos pushed i across the floor and tarned it around til Cynthia's plate came opposite where sh' was sitting, and 60 saved her the trouble and pain of moving. He looked at hel solicitously as he took his own place. ant she made . pretense of cheerfulness.
 ''Mrs Jsmeton has been spending thu afternoon with me-" she said.
 "Has she?"
 "Yes, and she gave me quite histor, of the Miss Alden we bought the place of. It most broke her heart to sell 1t Mrs Jameson said, and such pretty farm don't wonder
 "Well, thought she seemed to be feel ing pretty bad that day che signed ths desd. though she want in the room but a minute."
 ''Oh, I'd1orgotten ycu had seen her Then you can tell me how she looks. don't know when I've been SO interested in any body as am in her."
 "Well, she's ruther pretty woman bout 36 or 37, should say; kinder slen. der ara little taller'n you be, but not what you would call tall woman, and she has got brown hair that's 8 little crinkly, and she locks as if she'd had { good deal to trouble her first and last" since she was IA. Her mother died then, and sine left school and took the whole care of the housekeeping. Her brother Sam and sister Annette were younger, and they went to the academy and had advants ges and married, and went away Then their father had a shock and wal helpless for good many years, and the care of him and the running of the farm all came on Ruth-that's Miss Alden's name. When he died the property wat settled, and there not being much but the farm they put heavy mortgage or it, and the brother and sister took the money and let Ruth have the mortgaged farm."
 "She ought to have had the whole, every cent!" Enos's voice was indig nant, and bis keen eyes flashed.
 "So everybody thought, except the brother and sister they couldn't see any reason why they shouldn't have theil share."
 ''And of course, bein' kind of run dowr herself, and TO capital, and big interes, and taxes to pay, she couldn't make a gc of it," EnOs concluded.
 sNo, and now she basn't anything, anG is dependent On her brother Sam, and he thinks che has to work harder than ever.'
 "Why couldn't you-ar-have her come here once in while, and make 8 wis il?" Enos asked, little d fiji lently.
 "I'd like to and spoke to Mrs Jame son about it, but she says Ruth feels s( bad about losing the place that she can' bear eyer to zee it again she wants to remember 1t just as it was."
 Enos sighed unhappily. "Kinde1 makes noe feels if was to blame for the whole business," he said with an uneasy laugh.
 Sam Alden "traveled" for firm that manufactured farm machinery. In thu latter 'psrt of November it happened that his ute lay in an out-of-the-wa' farming sion, and it was arranged tha his sister Ruth should meet him on hii return a. a certain railroad station in thu woods. There had been indications of { storm when she started, and now, as San eprapgfn beside her and took the reins CT Came the big drops, driven by the wind against the back of the covered buggy.
 ''I'm sorry. Ruth," Sam said, as they approached four corners, "but don't see but what we shall have to go by the old place this time. The road Is smooth CT, and it saves two miles. You can shut