The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-10-03

"
you mind telling II over again?"
= Not u bit, said Ruth, "if you will
not be tired Of hearing il twice.
"There amt any danger OF that, "
said Harvey Brown. 81 feel rs II I'D
been there."
"Then | shall expect you Saturday
night, said Ruth. 4 You and the An
dersons.'
The Anderson boys came at the APP
pointed time; the story seemed 70 lose
none Of is interest in repetition, and
from the Mammoth Cave they passed to
others.
" suppose we look up all the wonder
full caves in the world, |" Ruth had said,
after an evening with that Of Elephanta,
illustrated by some photographs sent by
friend in Calcutta. 4 The Giants
Causeway isn't exactly cave. but there
are some beautiful views Of it. Wen
have that for next time
Z. But don't know how" said sam.
who usually acted as spokesman. ~
don't know any body but you that
Knows
:. You shall find out" said Ruth; and
on their next evening she had the great
atlas, the encyclopedia, and 4 volume OF
Bayard Taylor's travels in which a full
account was given. The boys looked
askance at the books, nut soon found
they We're not enemies but friends Ruth
had one or two Of the wild legends con-
nected with the spot, and told them with
SO much dramatic effect that Harvey
Brown declared he would not dare to 20
through the long bridge alone.
Itsmighty like a geography lesson"
said Tom Anderson, who had regarded
the whole thing with grave suspicion.
..but it's the jolliest geography lesson |
ever heard. | shan't object no more. =
Full Of misgivings before each fresh
attempt. success seemed to wait upon
each. Ruth smiled inwardly as her au-
dience grew. and she came to have all
the boys from Is To 20 that the neigh
borhood afforded. The widest rumors
were current. She played cards with
them-she danced with them-she en-
couraged infidelity: It was going 10 be
rs bad in the end as the bar-room.
Gradually the effervescence subsidized. Ii
was seen that there was less desire 10
roam the country at large The Brown
boys came into Deacon Shcrburne'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 th..Se BOYS showed so little
Of the cloyen 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 il with long ta-
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-hoards, set Of
chess-mcn and one or two pleasant
games were there also, and one evening
before their talk began she took her
tribe into the CHEEKY quarters.
:. This i your own room, boys, she
said. :. But there are certain conditions
you will all be willing 10 subscribe TO-
No noise--no smoking mo lounging. |
have made il a. pleasant place a. /
can, and il is yours till better i
found
. Having this amt going to break up
our other evenings, is it Pr asked Harvey
Brown, anxiously. ave can't spare
them no how, Miss Ruth"
!. No, you shall have them still,
Ruth said, touched and gratifcd by the
eagerness with which all had waited her
answer. Already the little seed sown in
weakness was showing green above the
hard soil.
.Open Sundays!- the villagers cried.
when the new departure came to be
canvassed. Breaking the Sabbath and
making nest of ungodlincss In our
midstr'
Ruth said nothing, and when It was
found that the eleven lads were engaged
in 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 dcacons
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 Mcrcy's cap and kerr
chief as symbol Of mysterious heresy
as full Of threatening now a. in old
Puritan days, spent an evening in
questions and returned home con-
vcrted.
:. 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