Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-06-09

better than fine clothes. This little
head. passing my hand softly over
her brown hair, "holds what is OF tar
more value"
She raised her eyes to mine with
grateful look, and nestled closer to my
side.
But it does hurt me so, Miss Ora
ham, she said almost in o whisper,
while her lips trembled, and the tears
came to her eyes. II can't help wish
ing sometimes, she continued, as soon
as she could command her voice, chat
l could have things like the other
girls; but mother works so hard, and
does the best she can for us, and don't
want to say one word
Dear, patient, brave little soul I
drew her closer to me, and felt chok-
ing sensation in my throat, and tears
filled my eyes, but was too indignant
to let them fall
"They shall never talk so to you
again, if can help it, said decidedly.
"You are worth more than the whole
crowd put together, and sometime you
will win position where you can look
down upon them" It flashed over me
suddenly that these were hardly the
proper sentiments to instill into her
mind, and I added, less Indignantly,
"but think then you will only pity
their folly and ignorance.
Ruth's tears ceased, and with faint
attempt to smile she raised her eyes
with look of loving gratitude.
"You are so kind, Miss Graham" she
said, softly. II shall not mind it so
much now"
I kissed her again, and with my arm
still about her, led her to a seat.
"They are only thoughtless, 1 said,
with a parting caress, "they will be
ashamed of it some day" But not
withstanding tried to speak gently, I
was filed with indignation at their
cruelty.
Ruth's family, I knew, was very poor.
Her father had inherited fair amount
of property, but, honest and simple
hearted as child, he had trusted too
much to others, who had taken advan-
tage of his lack of business shrewdness,
until the last acre of the family estate
had been lost, and his wife and children
reduced to the depths of poverty.
Naturally weak and inefficient, his
heavy losses seemed to completely
break his courage, and but for the en-
ergetic, hard-working mother the family
would have suffered even for food
There were four children younger
than Ruth, and it must have cost Sc
we're struggle to provide so many with
sufficient clothing, even for comfort,
and it was no wonder Ruth so seldom
had new dress.
Her garments were always clean,
though patched and darned as long as
they would hold together.
She was a slender, delicate child of
II years, whose large, active brain was
draining too freely her vital powers;
but she was so quick and bright, such
fine scholar-holding her place easily
among those two or three years
older than herself-that my pride and
pleasure in her talents blinded me to
the fact that her love for study was
wearing out her frail little body.
She was so gentle and patient, so I'M
selfish and affectionate, that I had be-
come strongly attached to her, and
praised her gifts perhaps little I'M
wisely, as it made my opinion of the
dizziness of the others more conspicu-
GUS
Anna Ransom and Matte Barber
were particularly backward and slow to
learn. They both came of families no
members of which had ever been dis
for scholarly tastes or
ability. The fathers of both girls were
men whose whole souls were absorbed
in the pursuit of the almighty dollar.
Annals mother was vain and silly, car
ing for nothing so much as fine cloth
ing, while Mrs. Barber had been q
hired girl" in the family of her hus-
bands father, and that fact only made
more ridiculous the lofty way in which
she looked down on those of her neigh
bors who were poorer than herself
I had noticed the silly way in which
some of the girls treated Ruth, but had
before no idea of the extent to which
her school-fellows carried their cruelty.
What I had just heard touched me
very deeply, for I, too, knew poverty;
had worn old dresses, lived on plain
and scanty fare; but no one had ever
been so thoughtless or so cruel as to
me with it.
My father had been a clergyman,
honored and respected by all who |
knew him, and when his early and sud-
den death left my mother alone with |
five little ones dependent upon her,
we felt the pinch of want; but we had |
always been treated with kindness and |!
respect
had been taught to look upon hon
est poverty as no disgrace, and the |
scorn and contempt with which poor |
little Ruth was treated aroused my |
deepest Indignation.
Soon after calling the school to order |
I sent Ruth out upon an errand, and |
then repeated to the scholars the con-
I had just overheard. I gave
no names, but dwelt earnestly upon the |
injustice of such conduct. and expressed |
the hope that this might be the last |
time I should be panied by such un-
kindnoaa in any of NV acho1arc