The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-10-02


was strong.
Linda shifted audibly as she answered
the ponderous knocker, which Ruth
would not allow to be changed for a
bell, and ushered the boys into the din
ing-room, where great table, on each
end of which bright light burned,
had been drawn near the fire. Ruth
knew that q table was at once occupa-
ton and screen for awkward feet and
hands, the former finding shelter in
the shadows, the latter turning over
the illustrated papers toward which
the boys looked at once. Miss
Dysart sat there quietly knitting, with
a pleasant word for each in answer to
their awkward greeting, and then Ruth,
with slightly heightened color, spoke
her thought.
boys, 1 have been thinking how
very stupid and dull great many of
these winter evenings are, and l am
sure they can be pleasanter for every
one of US. We never get any amuse-
ments from outside because we are so
far away, and think we grow restless
and discontented when there is none.
Now what propose may not be very
amusing but at least we can try it and
see. Suppose we travel a little, in
spite of the deep snow. and in this fash
ion: We all have places we would
specially like to see; sometimes in our
own country, sometimes in others. Let
us take turns in choosing place and
then finding out all about it. 1 have
pictures, you sea great many of
them-and think you will find there
is some pleasure in this way of travel
ing. But as you are not all sure
whether you will like it or not, we must
see. Sam, where would you like best
togop" ,,. .,,,.,,,,.o Can, ,n.w.r.,
after moments confused thinking:
1.-The Mammoth Cave"
"WhyP"
Again Sam meditated.
because used to look at the picture
in my old geography"
"It's curious you should have said
that" said Ruth, "because the first
package of views on that table is one
Of views in the Cave. was there long
ago with aunt, but never forgot it."
"Tell us about it. please" said Sam,
eagerly, and Ruth brought two or
three light stereoscopes and laid them
on the table, then talked on simply but
in most vivid fashion, giving the story
of the long expedition. Each view
suggested many questions; Miss Dysart
joined at times with some bit of remin-
iscence, and when the clock struck
nine the boys looked up in astonish-
ment as Linda entered with a tray on
which were cups of steaming coffee and
a plate of sandwiches.
"It is so cold tonight you need the
coffee to fortify you for your walk in
the wind" Miss Dysart said, talking on
so pleasantly that they forgot awkward
ness.
"Tom Anderson's been up in that
cave, near Lake Dunmore, where Ethan
Allen hid" said Sam, "but it isn't
much more than q big hole. He'd like
to see these pictures, Miss Ruth. Would
you mind telling it over againp"
"Not a bit," said Ruth, eff you will
not be tired of hearing it twice"
"There amt any danger of that, -
said Harvey Brown. Il feel as if I'd
been there"
"Then shall expect you Saturday
night" said Ruth. "You and the An
dersons."
The Anderson boys came at the ap-
pointed time; the story seemed to lose
none of its interest in repetition, and
from the Mammoth Cave they passed
to others.
Suppose we look up all the Won
derful caves in the world" Ruth had
said, after an evening with that OF
Elephanta, illustrated by some photo.
graphs sent by friend in Calcutta.
The Giants Causeway isn't exactly a
cave, but there are some beautiful
views of it. Well have that for next
time"
"But don't know how" said Sam,
usually acting as spokesman. 81 don't
know anybody but you that knows"
"You shall find OUT" said Ruth;
and on their next evening she had the
great atlas, the encyclopedia, and a
volume of Bernard Taylor's travels in
which full account was given. The
boys looked askance at the books, but
soon found they were not enemies but
friends. Ruth had one or two of the
wild legends connected with the spot,
and told them with so much dramatic
effect that Harvey Brown declared he
should not dare to go through the long
bridge alone.
"It's mighty like a geography les
son." said Tom Anderson, who had re-
garded the whole thing with grave sus-
picion, =" but it's the jolliest geography
lesson l ever heard. shan't object to
more"
Full of misgivings before each fresh
attempt, success still seemed to wait
upon each. Ruth smiled inwardIy as
her audience grew, and she came to
have all the boys from fifteen to twenty
that the neighborhood afforded. The
widest rumors were current She
played cards with them-she danced
with them-she encouraged infidelity
it was going to be as bad in the end as
the bar-room. Gradually the efferves
cence subsidized. 1t was seen that there
was less desire to roam the country al
large The Brown boys came into
Deacon Sherburne's one evening tc
talk over some knotty point with Sam
and the Deacon found himself insensi.
bly, interested. as well as astonishe6
that these boys showed so little of the
cloven foot. When three months haC
proved that if anything interesting wers
provided no lack of interest or accept
ance could be complained of, Ruth
opened the long disused room in the
north wing, furnished it with a long
table and comfortable arm-chairs, haC
light shelves put up at one end, anC
herself covered the volumes which
were the nucleus of what she hopeC
might be the village library.
Two backgammon boards, a set O
chess-men and one or two pleasan
games were there also, and one evening
before their talk began she took hel
tribe into the CHEEKY quarters.
| "This is your own room, boys" sht
said. " But there are certain condi
tions you will all be willing to subscrib'
to. No noise-no smoking-no loung
ing. Ihave made it as pleasant plac,
as 1 can, and now it is yours till a bet
ter is found"
Having this amt going to breal
up our other evenings, is itp" aske,
Harvey brown, anxiously. "We cam
spare them no how, Miss Ruth"
mo, you shall have them still,
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