The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-09-25

weakness was showing green above the
hard soil.
"Open Sundaysi" the villagers cried
when the new departure came to be
canvassed. . Breaking the Sabbath and
making nest of ungodliness in ouI
midstln
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 a 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
ened. There's things 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 nv
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
together. She's got a 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 chance for a town library to
start, an we to hold our heads up high
as other folks. | guess we can show we
amt quite run out YETI
So long a speech had never been heard
from the Deacon in all his life before,
and hot discussion followed. The
shoe-shOp was too old; it wasn't worth
moving. Who was going to paint and
put it generally in order? To every OBJ
lection the Deacon had his answer 1t
was evident that Ruths enthusiasm had
been deep and strong enough to thor
OrOughly penetrate, and his Yankee
thrift would never allow the proposed
benefactions to 60 begging.
Ruth smiled as, one morning in June,
the strenuous calls to oxen and the !
creaking 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 a set of engrav- /
ings and one or two good chromos, the |
room looked not only habitable
but inviting. A recess at .
the back was devoted to
curiosities- old portrait or two of
former 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
be felt.
The Fourth of July saw the village
owners of g The Lowgate Library HAIL."
md as Deacon Sherburne looked at his
once useless property a sense of accom-
Dlishment filled him with something
more like patriotism than any thing he
mad known from his boyhood. Stand
NO under the great elm which Swallowed
t, DR.. Brett, the minister, made the first
Fourth Of July address the village had
lad in years, and then led the way to
he generous supply of ice-cream and
AXE from the great house. Only the
BEGINNING of better day for the village.
md Ruth's eager wish travelled fast and
ar; but she could wait, sure that here
ay work enough for all, and that if one
experiment. had succeeded another
night.
"God giveth the increase" Aunt
1ercy said, but never till it has first
'een written, Paul must plant and
Apollos water. '"-Helen Campbell, IN
he (UriSfiull TJ3iOn