The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-04-26
Rue's Trust How She Learned
to be Cheerful.
BY KATE SUMNER.


to have you tell me bout Jack the Giant
killer, and Moses, n Danells, n Goliah
n all the rest of them Rue looked up
to the clock in despair-she did want to
go to meeting SO much. Ithad been such
long, hard day, she felt as though she
must have word of hel p and encourage
ment from somewhere 1t was Just quar-
ter of seven-perhapS Dick would let her
off in time.
You tell EN- too fast" said that in
corrigible youth, as she commenced the
first one on the list rapidly. can't
preciate EN- when you talk so fast" Rue
smothered a sigh as she commenced on
Moses, more moderately. Seven o'clock
quarter past Dicks eyes showed not
the remotest sign of closing, and she had
only gotten as far as Goliah.
Dick" she said persuasively, ism
this enough for tonight If you will be
good boy and go to sleep without any
more, I'll let you make candy tomorrow
will you"
"I'llthink about the candy tomorrow,
said Dick, calmly. Maybe 1 shan't
want any if I do, I'll let you know-now
let's go on"
But shall not let you make it, un-
less you do as want you to, tonight" Il,
"Oh, yes, you WILL" replied Dick
with serene assurance-"if tease hard
enough you'll be glad to. Now I want to
hear about Joseph" There was plainly
nothing to be done about meeting. Rue
went through her list without further re-
mark she might as well be telling stories
al eha P,,E
and-by even Dick could hold out no long
er. Rue was free to go if she pleased /;
but it was too late for meeting, so she
went down stairs, out on the porch.
1t had been such long, hard day.
Tomorrow would be just like it the day
after, the same. Everything had gone
wrong. She wondered vaguely how old
she would live to be. Could she go on
and on like this until she was seventy
FIVE or eighty? Everything had gone
wrong all day long. Mother had had
sick headache, the baby was teething and
fretting incessantly. Angie had torn her
new dress, miserable three cornered
tear, as though Rue had not enough to
do without having to stop to mend that.
AS for Dick, what had he not done
And the fall term of the academy
commenced to-day. That was enough in
itself. Nobody knew how Rue wanted
to 90 but how could she? Her father
was unfortunate in business-somehow
he always had been-and always would
be, Rue supposed. There was large fam
lily of them. Rue often wondered if un-
fortunate families were not always large
Her mother was not very strong-she
could not do the work alone, anyway.
So Rue must give up the darling purpose
of her heart, and instead of fitting her
self for teacher, must stay home-help
about the house, and the care of the chill
dren. Rue's face grew very bitter as she
thought it all over, out there in the gath
ering dusk So buried was she in her
own thoughts that she did not notice her
fathers step as he came up the walk and
sat down beside her.
"What is it, Rue?" he asked, gently
and tenderly. Rue was the child of his
heart
"Oh, father, it isn't anything, it's
everything" she said, trying hard not to
let the tears come. Poor father he
grieved over his unfortunateness 80 much
for the others sake. But she need not
have tried so hard.
az know" he said. al wish you could
have gone to the Academy, Rue" Rue
broke down utterly then.
II tried not to mind it" she sobbed,
but it is so hard to give it up, and l
hate homework so l don't believe God
loves us,-me at any rate-or he wouldn't
make it 50 hard
Rue, said her father, do you re-
member when you were little girl how
your mother left you for whole week
to keep house and take care Of Tom,
Angie and Will,-do you remember"
| guess l do, laughed Rue " Didn't
] feel proud for you know every body
said mamma ought to have Miss Pepper
or some one come here to stay and look
after things But mamma. said no-she
could trust me and was proud enough ~
But it was hard You know how
very tired you would be every night.
Didn't you ever think she could not love
you, or she would not give you such a
hard thing to do2'
"Oh father" said Rue sbarp1v " 7