The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-03-18

fully and heartily as she said taking in
hers the two scared and red hands, still
bandaged and bound with soothing
oils
"No, | will not desert you when
you need me most, dear Mrs. Ben
son. You say you have no home. We'll
| will give you one"
"Youl' cried Mrs Benson. "Why you
are as poor rs | am---and poorer"
"fcs, in money | am poor" said Ruth
''but, thanks to Mr.. Moss | am able TO
make a home for you For six years he
has given me lessons in drawing and
painting, and three months ago he took
five OF my pictures TO the city and left
them ut a dealers TO be sold. To-day |
received 5000 dollars as compensation
for my work, aud the more | practice
the better | shall paint, and, of course, |
will receive higher prices"
"Two hundred dollars !" repeated Mrs.
Benson, in amazemcnt. "Why, | can't
believe it ! When did you get time to
take lessons of Mr. Moss, Ruth -
"Hou used to send me to bed early,
answered Ruth, a smile stealing over her
lips, "but you never guessed that climb
cd out OF the window of the lumber
room as soon as you had left me and ran
over to Mr.. Moss Tired as | was al
ways after working hard all day, | was
yet anxious to learn that | made rapid
progress in my studies Mr.. Moss encour-
aging me by saying that | had real tai
ent for painting. Andnow that / am able
to make living you shall not suffer for
a home. We will go to Barville--it is
thriving, prosperous town, and / feel
sure can make enough to support us
both in comfort. We have the 5000 to
begin on, and it won't be long before
shall have pupils in drawing and paint
ing. You have cared for me for seven
years, Mrs. Benson, and now l shall care
for you"
For moment Mrs. Benson looked
steadily at Ruth, as if trying to take in
the meaning of what she said, and then
covered her face with her bandagcd,
lame hands, burst into tears--the first
she had shed for forty years. 1t seemed
to her that the past seven years were
spread out before her, and she could read
the record of her treatment of the or
phan she had taken to her home "out of
charity"
Ruths arms were about the neck Of
the weeping woman instantly but her
caressing touch and tender words only
made Mrs. Benson cry the harder.
81 don't deserve such kindness from
you, Ruth" she sobbed. ooh, how
wish had never boxed your ears or
called you names. You are returning
good for evil, my dear, and no mistake" -"
Poor Ruth Mrs. Benson never dream
ed what a sacrifice the ''charity child
had made for her. That very day when
Mr.. Moss had put in her hands the 5000
he he'd urged her to go abroad, to study
in Italy and France the art for which
she had so marked n talent, and had of
fered to lend her the money for her ex-
penses, to be repaid when she opened a
studio of her own and make herself as
famous as she felt sure she would be.
For years Ruth had longed to 90 abroad
and it was not easy for her to relinquish
all hope of seeing foreign lands and set
tie down in busy life, bustling Barville,
as the prop and comfort of crippled old
woman.
But her mind having once been made
up that it was her duty to make the sac
rlficc she spent no time in vain regrets,
but went bravely to work.
Her success in Barville was immediate.
She soon had as many pupils as she
could attend to, and her pictures found
ready sale She was as true and as ten
der as an own child could have been to
Mrs. Benson, who learned to love her far
better than she had the selfish son who
had been tried and found wanting in her
hour of need.
And Ruth felt rewarded for the sac
rltice she had made when she heard her
adopted mother bless the day she had
visited the MILFORD Orphan Asylum and
taken'home little pray-eyed girl "out
of charity"