Smyrna times., 1883-01-31
Rue'S Heather.
BY KATE w. HAMILTON.

W.
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, at a signal,
every apron and jacket slipped into its
appointed place and the large room
was still. Little Rue's apron had been
about midway in the procession, and
so she found a seat near the middle of
the chapel, where, swinging the small
feet, that could not quite 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 a man in fine broad
cloth and gold spectacles was beginning
to talk; but Rue only listened dreamily.
"My dear children, am delighted
to visit this grand institution-to see
so many of you in this beautiful home,
so well cared for, so we'll instructed
and so happy"
Rue wondered why all men who
talked there said that. She wondered
if he really would like to eat and sleep
and walk in row and always wear a
blue check apron. Then she forgot all
about him, in watching the sunlight
play on the small head Immediately in
4 front of her. What a brilliant red
head it was And then a bright
thought occurred to Rue. A few Of
those hairs, twisted together, would
make beautiful chain for the neck oi
her china doll, her one treasure, and
of course, Mary Jane Sullivan would
never miss them, if she only pulled
out one here aud there.
Forward crept Rue's eager little
fingers but they were too nervous il
their haste to be sure that they helC
but single coarse hair before they
twitched, and the result was suddel
explosive "Ow" from Mary Jane, tn,
turning of a battery of eyes in tina
direction, and an immediate investiga
tion by the authorities into the caus
of the disturbance. Poor little Ru
was marched off in disgrace; but, a
she reached the door, she heard tn
speaker say:
"I am sorry this has happened
sorry that any one should miss what
am going to say for hoped to inter
est all these dear children in the wor
of sending the Gospel to the heather.
1t was kind of him to call them a
dear children, after that dreadful even
Rue reflected, as, with burning cheek
and fearful eyes, she stood, with
number of other little culpnts, in Oh
of the wide halls, for even punishmel
was in rows at the Home. Shiftir
her weight from one restless foot
the other, yet trying to stand sufficien
ly upright to answer the requirement
of the penance, Rue did sincerely vii
that she had been a good girl and r
manned quietly in the chapel, part
because of the humiliation that b
befallen her, but also because 81
wanted to hear what he had to say
the particular subject he had name
"Why didn't he begin with tha
and then I'd have listened" s
thought, rather resentfully. For ba
among Rue's few shadowy memories
the past, of love, and mother, and
; home that was not the Home, wa:
dim recollection of some curious al
cles which her baby hands had or
been allowed to touch carefully,
cause they were mementos of an un
who had died far away on a missi
field. $50 it would have been m
like hearing about my relations; ol
haven't got any," mused Rue. "(
- dearl wished I'd staid good a
sS2 hadn't pulled Mary James hair.
didn' mean to, anyway"
She tried to find out about it, aft
s,. ward, by inquiring of one of the otl
girls. m efni aglt
Sv "Ohl he wanted the children to 81
a'~ up something, so they could help 81
Bibles to the heather. Guess. If
lived here long, he'd find that
hadn't anything to save" was the b
ried reply.
Biblesl That was where Rue
rich. She actually had two that
y been brought from that family rem
10 bered home. 4
"I don't s'pose I'll read one Of
to pieces; not If used it till I'm q
woman" !" she said to herself. / mi
dnu give the other one. / ought to b
count of being relation, someh
!, and want to be good. Ijust do"
'0'N Later in the day she ventr
another inquiry:
IN "How will he get those Bible
the heathenY"
orse 81 don't know. Why yes,
81 send 'em through the post-office
4f course. What do you care SO N
- about 1t for?n
Eus That was what Rue did no mea
tell. She chose her prettiest B
spent the play-hours of two day
! bSge Doss writing an epistle on the fy-le'