St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-11

acknowledgements, NOTWITHSTANDING utI
adventure with BOAz later on did
start the Bethlehemite tongues to wag-
cling, until the old Judean millionaire
put an end to the whole matter by mar
rying the eccentric MOabitess.
AS we have stated, the pith of RUTH's
romance was her fidelity to mother
in-law. Then, as now, the poor mother
in-laW was the theme of perpetual ridi-
Guile. Everybody had an ugly word to
say about her, and every wag deemed
her legitimate subject for his coarse
humor. When MAHLoN and CHILION
died the young people of the commu-
nifty gathered around RUTH and ORPAH,
and, commissioning the forlorn condi-
ton of the two young widows who
had been left with mother
in-law on their hands, were profuse
in their expressions of sympathy.
Wherever poor old NAOMI went, and
in whatever direction she turned she
met scowling faces and leering express
siOns of people who had no patience
with her for being mother-in-law.
Neighborhood stories went circulating
around of how NAOMI fused with
ORPAH because she didn't bang her
hair according to the latest style, or of
how she was continually ding-donging
at RUTH because she wouldn't fix up
and go out into company instead of
moping around the house all the time
lamenting over her dead husband. 1t
was even rumored that the venerable
NAOMI was jealous OF the attentions
her fair young daughters-in-law were
the recipients of, and more than one
Moabitish gOssiper limited that the old
lady was setting her cap for Mr..
So-and-SO, who would make more
suitable oc0mpanion for one of the
young widows. Thus it was that Ma
oMI, like many good mother-in-law
since. had life made burthen
to her by the thoughtlessness
and heartlessness of those who
knew nothing of the real trials and
tribulations of mother-in-law. If
there ever was a good, sweet, pure
woman, it was ELIAIILECH'S venerable
widow. Like the mother-in-law of to-
day, she was the victim of seDseless
prejudice, and every kind act was con-
Strued into Selfishness and disposition
to be meddlesOme. Everybody stood
ready to abuse her OF to make fun of
her, but there seemed to be no one will
ing to take the part of the desolate
Judean widow, whose cup of bitterness
had been quaffed to the dregs.
The 5000 years that have inter-
vened since NAoMI's time and the
present day have not changed the status
of the mother-in-law in the eyes of the
world. There is the same disposition to
peck at her, to misconstrue her motives,
to accredit her with selfishness and a
meddling disposition when she only
means kindness and a maternal interest.
1t came to pass that the limit Of hui
man end urance was reached, and Ma
OMI could no longer suffer humiliation
in strange land. Worn out by the
jibes> and jeers OF the tattling Moabites,
she, who had once been known as
tine good mother in Israel, determined
to return to the land of her nativity.
She would be known there as poor
widow only, for owing to the lack
Of communication between the two
countries it had not been found
out in Judah that she was
a mother-in-law. 1t was her one chance
to escape derisiOn, and she accordingly
packed her little earthly effects into the
old-fashioned reticule which Israelitish
mothers carried those days and started
for the home of her childhood. Then it
was that the nobility of RUTH's charac-
ter rose to the sublimest grandeur.
ORPAH kissed the old lady an affection
ate farewell, but RUTH clave unto her.
1t was the braveSt act noble woman is
capable Of. Now and evermOre RUTH
will be prominent in history as the girl
who had the grit to stand up for her
mother in-law.