The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-02-17
RUE's MISSIONARY EFFORT.

RUE'S MISSIONARY EFFORT.
The long line of blue check aprons
followed the other long line of small
/ blue jackets through the wide hall, up
the bare, polished stairs, and into the
clean, airy chapel. Then, Mt n signal,
every apron and ackct slipped into its
appointed place and the large room was
STILL Little Rue 8 apron had been about
midway in the proce sion, and so she
found seat near the middle of the
chapel, where. swinging the small feet,
that could not touch the floor, she
looked listlessly out through the window
! opposite, over beautiful view of grove
and meadow, and then up at the white
ceiling, where great fly buzzed at his
! pleasure, without having to walk in line.
! On the platform man in hne broad
cloth and gold spectacles was beginning
to talk; but Rue only Stoned dreamilv.
my dear children, am delighted to
visit this grand insttution--to see so
many of you in this beautiful Home, SO
well cared for, so well instructed and SO
happy
Rue wondered why all the men who
talked there said that She wondered
il he really would like to eat and sleep
and walk in a row and always wear a
bGe check apron. Then she forgot al,
about him, in watching the sunlight
play on the small head Immediately in
front of her. What br liant rcd head
II was and tEen a bright thought oc-
Cared to Rue. A few of those hairs,
twisted 10 gether, would make beauti-
full chain for the neck OF her china doll,
her one treasure; and of course, Mary
Jane sullivan would never miss them,
If she only pulled out one here and
there.
Forward erept Rue eager little fin.
gers; but they were too nervous in their
haste to be sure that they held but n
single coarse hair before they twitched,
and the result was n sudden explosive
"Owl from Mary Jane. the turning of
battery of @, es in that direction, and
an immediate investigation by the au-
thorities into the cause of the disturb
ancc. Poor little Rue was marched off
in d sgrace but. as she reached the door,
she heard the speaker say:
:" am sorry this has happened sorry
that any one shou mss what am 90
ing to say; for | hoped TO interest all
these dear children in the work of send
ing the Gospel to the heather"
1t was kind Of him TO call them all
dear children, ter hat dread I'll event,
Rue re ected. rs, with burning cheeks
and fearful ewes. she stood witha num-
Der OF other little culprits, in one of the
wide halls, for even punishment was in
rows at the II me- Shifting her weight
froIn one restless foot to the other, vet
trying to stand fiic emily Upright to
answer the requirements OF the pen
ance Rue did sincerely wish that she
had been II good girl and remained
quietly in the chapel, partly because OF
the humiliat on that had bc'allen her,
but also beca sc she wanted to hear what
he had to say on the particular subject
he had named.
"Why didn't he begin with that?
and then I'd have listened!" she
thought, rather resent ully. For Lack
among Rue's few hadowy memories of
the past, Of love. and mother, and a
home that was not The Home. was a dim
recolle ton OF some curious articles
which her baby hands had only been
allowed 10 touch carefully, because
they were memcntos of an uncle who
had died ar away on q mission field
$50 it would have been most Ike hear
ing about my relations; only haven't
got any," unused Rue '.Oh, dear! /
wish I'd staid good and hadn't pulled
Mary James hair. didn't mean to,
anyway"
She tried to find out about it, after
ward, by inquir ng OF one OF the other
girls.
"Oh. he wanted the children to
try and save up something, so they
could help send Ii les to the heather.
Guess, if he lived here long, he'd find
we hadn' I any thing to save was the
hurried reply.
Bibles. That was where Rue was
rich. She actually had two that had
cen brought from that family -remem-
bered home.
u don't s'posc I'll read one of EN-
to pieces; not If used it till I'm a ig
woman" she said to herself. IL might
give the other one. ought to help.
count Of eng n relation, somehow,
and want to good just do
Later in the day she ventured anoth-
CT inquiry:
Chow will he get those Bibles to the
heathenP'
Il don't know. Why. yes, he II send |
EN- through the post-olfice. of course.
What do you care so much about it
for?"
That was what Rue did not mean to
tell She chose her prettiest Bible.
spent the pla, hours of two days in
writing an epistle on the fly-lcaves, and
tied it up in piece o brown paper
Her knowledge of the post office and ts
requirements was exceedingly limited;
but she supp sed it would be necessary
to put someth ing on the outside of the
packet, 10 tell for whom it was intend
ed. She wanted It TO go where it was
needed the most. and, of course, the
post office people would know where
that was she re iected; so she carefully
printed, in very uneven letters: For
the greatest heathen," and then laid
the precious pac age away, to await q
future opportunity. She would trust
her secret to no one, lest some unfore-
seen int ference might result. and she
sought information.
''How do Won DO when you put any