The Newtown bee., 1904-01-22

That was year ago now, and Dan and Ruth had hoped for some providential way out of the difficulty, until they began to grow discouraged.
 "If l marry you now it will be turn ing her out of house and home," said Ruth, who would as soon have thought of denying her blood and name as of failing to heed her fathers dying in- junction.
 "Your father didn't know how things was goin' to turn out," argued Dan, twisting his fingers in his curly hair, as he sat with his elbows on his knees. 'Tain't likely he would want us to wait till Doomsday rather than live with your mother.
 Ruth shook her head. This was crooked reasoning to her. In her mind it was straight line that divided right and wrong. It was her grief that she could never make Dan see it as she did, though he yielded for love of her.
 "That don't change my duty, Dan, " she said; if l had money enough to support her somewhere else-but the old place is too down at the heel to de- pend on for anything more than bare living"
 "YOu don't count on me for any, thing, then?" said Dan, rather sulkily.
 The girl laid her hand on his head in a motherly fashion that went quaintly enough with her young face and girl. ish figure.
 "You're worth dozen," she said with the shy pride of the Yankee to whom soft speech comes awkwardly; you'll work wonders with the old farm, know, and it needs you dread fully. But you'd be old before your time digging and delving to support two houses. Besides, mother is-well, you see, she has never been used to going without things; father thought nothing was too good for her, and-oh, you couldn't do it, Danl should feel as if had ruined your life if let you squander your youth and strength like that"
 'Well, you're ruinin' it now," re- torted Dan, with his eyes on the ground.
 There was silence for a moment, then the sound of a smothered sob made him turn and take her in his arms remorsefully.
 ''I didn't mean it., }" he said, ruefully, "but you're overworkin' your con- science, Ruth; it ain't right to let this thing come between you and me, I swear it ain't! If had cent to my name I'd build house for your mother over to Brookville; seein' can't do that, think she might put up with a boardin' place at the village, and if I couldn't get her all the folderols she'd been used to, perhaps she could help out little by sewin' or somethin'."
 Dan made the suggestion half shame-facedly. It really seemed harsh with the picture before his minds eye of the gentle widow, whose hands sell dom held anything except black bordered handkerchief.
 "Poor mother!" sighed Ruth; Chow could she give her mind to it after all her trouble? And she would grieve herself to death, Dan, with no one to cheer her up or keep her company, in two or three little musty rooms. It would have been so different in Brook vile, with her own driving horse and everything about the farm to interest her. No, Dan, it is better to wait than to make such beginning as that. There will be way out sooner or later. l don't want to begin a new life with anything on my conscience, and I couldn't be happy if went against my fathers dying wish."
 The lovely young face was so pure and earnest in the look she turned up- on him that Dan was silenced, as he had been hundred times before.
 Ruth, you needn't think I'll ever be the one to coax you out of what you think is right" he said. "I've no more to say, except that I'll wait for you thousand years if must, an I won't add to your burdens by complainin'." l With that they went up hand in hand through the twilight to the vine- shaded porch, where Nancy sat, look ing out thoughtfully on the simmer ing waters of the river that flowed past the house on one side.
 She greeted the two young people with wistful sigh that made Dan so guilty. over the conversation he had just had with Ruth that he made some excuse to get away, and tramped mood fly down the lane that led across the corner of field to his own home, when where crowd of healthy young broth CTS and sisters divided the family in- come into parts that seemed almost infinitesimal.
 "l guess know what you an Dan have been talkin' about,". remarked Nancy, mildly, looking down at Ruth, who had seated herself on the steps of the porch.
 Ruth reached back a hand without turning her head and took her moth- CTS limp fingers, black -bordered hand kerchief and all.
 II never thought I'd live to he