Year: 1875

underneath. Her color deepened beau
tifully and her lips trembled in spite of
the arch smile they wore, as she said,
half-tenderly, half-wilfully:


but l should be afraid to marry a
poet if they are such strange and deli
cate creatures as I've heard tell. 1t
would be like keeping house for but
terfy. | tried to cage one once; but
the poor thing spoilt its pretty wings
beating against the bars, and when /
let it go it just dropped down and died"


''But if be no poet, only plain far
mer, with no ambition except how may
prosper and make my wife a happy wo-
man, what answer then, Ruth % he ask
ed, feeling as the morning -glories might
have felt if a cold wind had blown over
them.


''Dear lad, it's this !" and throwing
both arms about his neck, the honest
creature kissed his cheek heartily.


After that no wonder if Ruth forgot
her work, never saw an audacious sun
beam whitening the yellow roses she had
caused tc bloom, never heard the buzz
of an invading fly, nor thought to praise
the labor of her hands, though her plump
cheek was taking impressions of the but
tons on the waistcoat. While to Nat
the little dairy had suddenly become
paradise, life for moment was all po-
etry, and nothing in the wide world
seemed impossible.


"Ruth Ruth The cats fell in the
pork-kag and my hands is in the dough.
For massy sake, run down suller and
fish her out"


That shrill cry from Aunt Becky
broke the spell, dissolved the blissful
dream, for, true to her instincts, Ruth
forgot the lover in the housewife and
vanished, leaving Nat alone with his
loye-and the butter-pots.


Ill.


He rode gallantly away to Boston that
afternoon, and ten days later came rid
ing slowly home again, with the precious
manuscript still in his saddle-bag.





"What luck, boy q asked Uncle Dan,
with keen glance from under his shag-
gy brows, as the young man came into
the big kitchen, where they all sat to-
gether after the days work was done.


Pretty much as you foretold, sir. :"
said Nat, trying to smile bravely as he
took his seat beside Ruth on the settee,
where he sat making up cherry-colored
breast knots by the light of one candle


'eFools go out to shear and come back
shorn," muttered Aunt Becky from the
chimney corner, where she sat reeling
yarn and brooding over some delectable
mess that simmered on the Goals.


Nat did not hear the fattering re-
mark, for he was lingering a little pack
ct that silently told the story of failure
in its dog-eared leaves, torn wrapper
and carelessly knotted string.


Eyes" he said, rapidly, as if anxious
to have hard task over, 81 showed
my poems to sundry gentlemen as pro-
posed. One liked them much and said
they showed promise of better things
but added that it was no time for such
matters now, and advised me to lay
them by till was older. A very court
eous and friendly man this was, and |
felt much beholden to him for his gra-
cious speeches The second criticised
my work sharply and showed me how |
should mend it. But when he was done
| found all the poetry had gone out of
my poor lines, and nothing was left but
fine words; so | thanked him and went
away, thinking better of my poems than
when entered. The third wise man
gave me his opinion very briefly, saying
as he handed back the book, "Put it in
the fire.


'.Nay, but that was too harsh. They
are very pretty verses, Nat, though most
of them are far beyond my poor wits, y
said Ruth, trying to tighten the disap-
pointment that she saw weighed heavily
on her lovers spirit.


'1n the gentleman's study l had a
sight of some of the great poets of the
world, and while he read my verses ]
got a taste of Milton, Spencer, and my
own Shakespeare's noble sonnets.
saw what mine lacked yet some of them
rang true, so | took heart and trimmed
them up in the fashion my masters sci
me. Let me read you one or two while
you tie your true lovers knots"


And eagerly opening the beloved book
Nat read by the dim light of the can
die. blind to the resigned expression
Ruth's face assumed, deaf to Aunt Beck
Us muttered opinion that "An idle
brain is the devils workshop" and
quite unconscious that Uncle Dan spread
checkered handkerchief over his bald
pate, ready for nap. Absorbed in hi
delightful task, the young poet went OF
reading his most perfect lines with Z
face that frightened blissfully, till JUS
as he was giving a love lay in his ten
derest tone, mild snore checked hii
heavenward fight and brought hin
kaak N ao-<l xv;fb n -,.da ohooly II.