The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-10-03

cOuraSeU lnnOeuCy; N was gong 10 De
as bad in the end as the bar-room.
Gradually the effervescence subsidized. 1t
was seen that there was less desire to
roam the country at large. The Brown
boys came into Deacon Sherburne's one
evening to talk over some knOtty point
with Sam, and the Deacon found him.
self insensibly interested, as well as as
tOnished that these boys showed so little
of the clOven foot. When three months
had proved that if any thing interesting
were provided no lack of interest or ac-
ceptance could be complained of, Ruth
opened the long disused room in the
north wing, furnished it with a long ia
BILE and comfortable arm-chairs, had
light shelves put up at one
end, and herself covered the volumes
which were the nucleus of what she
hoped might be the village library.
Two backgammon-bOards, a set of
chess-men and one or two pleasant
games were there also, and one evening
before their talk began she took her
tribe into the CHEEKY quarters. J.
s. This is your own room, boys" she
said. IS But there are certain conditions
you will all be willing to subscribe to.
No noise smOking-nO Longing.
have made it as pleasant place as 1
can, and it is yours till better is
found"
Having this amt going to break up
our other evenings, is it P" asked Harvey
Brown, anxiOusly. awe can't spare
them no how, Miss Ruth II!
"NO, you shall have them still"
Ruth said, touched and gratified by the
eagerness with which all had waited her
answer. Already the little seed sOwR in
weakness was showing green above the
hard soil. 90 1..a
"Open Sundays!" the villagers cried,
when the new departure came to be
canvassed. Breaking the Sabbath and
making a nest of ungodliness in our
midst!"
Ruth said nothing, and when it was
found that the eleven lads were engaged
in a Bible lesson each Sunday afternoon,
not conducted on ordinary plans, per-
haps, but made fascinating with maps
and pictures and the most vivid descrip-
ton of land that had been practically
unknown, the tone of comment changed.
No knowing what Quakers would not do,
but certainly this was an unexpected
turn, and one to be approved by deacons
and ministers and people. Ruth shrunk
from any discussion, but the time came
when discussion was necessary, and she
was forced to define both her work and
her wishes for its future. Deacon Sher-
burne, as the representative OF, the
most popular church, and who
looked at Aunt Mercy's cap and kerr
chief as symbol of mysterious heresy
as full of threatening now as in old
Puritan days, spent an evening in
questions and returned home con-
verted.
"YOu may say what you please" he
said week later to the knot of men in
the store, "about her passin' by her
own sex an goin' for the boys. Her
own sex can behave themselves better,
an amt making for the streets the min
ute teas done. Boys must have some
thing to take up their minds, an they've
got it; an it's shame we amt thought
more about it. An there's more to be
done. Her hands ought to be strength
cned. There's things a gal can't do an
Select-men can, an it's time for us to
talk them over. That north wing amt
nigh big enough for them that would
come. I've been turnin' it over in my
mind, an I'm ready to give the old
shoe-shop if any body'll help pay
for the mOvin' to the Fork
at the head of the Common, and
fixin' it up some. You see summers
comm on, an the way she figures it is,
it's time all of us should have some ben
eft out o. what she's beginning to get
She's got friend that's sent
some picters, and another that's goin'
to give hundred dollars worth of
books; an the long an short of it is
here's a chance for town library to
start, an we to hold our heads up high
as other folks. / guess we can show we
amt quite run out yet"
So long speech had never been heard
from the Deacon in all his life before,
and a hot discussion followed. The
shOe-shOp was too old; it wasn't worth
Who was going to paint and
put it generally in order? To every OBJ
lection the Deacon had his answer 1t
was evident that Ruth's enthusiasm had
been deep and strong enough to thor
penetrate, and his Yankee
thrift would never allow the proposed
to go begging.
Ruth smiled as, one morning in June,
the strenuous calls to oxen and the
and groaning of rollers were
heard. The old shoe-shOp was on its
way to new foundation and entire re-
juvenation. Before July, painted and
newly plastered, with long tables and
Ruth's arm-chairs, with n set of engrav-
ngs and one or two good chromos, the
room looked not only habitable |
but inviting. A recess at |
The back was devoted to
old portrait or two of
tOrmer village worthless, some Revolu-
tiOnary relics, and any thing Ruth or her |
boys had been able to find in the town.
ship in which common interest could |
De felt.
The Fourth of July saw the village
owners of " The Lowgate Library Hail."
md rs Deacon Sherburne looked ut his |
,nce useless property sense of accom-
,lishment filled him with something
more like patriotism than any thing he
nd known from his hOyhoOd Stand |