The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-07-16

attempt at conversation seemed to ex-
haust her, so sat beside her, holding
her feverish hand in one of mine, while
| passed my other hand over her fore
head and beautiful brown hair, think
ing of the great things had hoped for
her.
fear she has studied too hard" Mrs.
Mason said, while the look of anxiety
deepened in the careworn face, {" but
she is so fond of her books, and espe-
cially since you came, she can not bear to
lose a single lesson. If it were not
for"
" Please don't, motherl" Ruth inter-
rupted gently, and the mother was ST.
lent.
What was it? Had the girls been tor
mentng her again, l wondered, but
did not like to ask her.
The next night | called again, but
Ruth was delrious and no longerrecog-
nized me. She lay with closed eyes
and flushed face, her head and hands
in constant, restless motion, talking in
coherently to herself. Suddenly her
eyes opened; she shrank back upon her
pillow, while her hands were out
stretched entreatingly.
" can't go, mother" she cried, pit
eously. "Oh, can't go; the girls talk
so about my old dress and my sun-bon-
net and shoes, and it hurts me sol
Please let me stay at home" Then
her voice fell to plaintive moan.
"Oh, no, l must 90. | must learn all
l can, so can teach and help mother
| mustn't mind them. Oh, Miss Gra-
ham" in an agony of entreaty which
wrung my heart, don't let them !
Please, don't let them 1t hurts me
sop
"Oh, Ruthie, dear, they shall never
do it againl l cried, dropping on my
knees beside her bed, while the tears
streamed down my face. | took the
fever-hot hands in mine and kissed the
little flushed face, but she did not heed
me. For a moment, only, she re-
NAMED quiet, then began again her
piteous rawlings.
"She has been so all day." her
mother said with a groan that cut me
to the heart. "She came home Mon
day night and cried herself to sleep,
because the girls were so unkind to her
They were vexed over your reproof
Friday, and then got her alone on
Monday and talked to her worse than
ever. They seemed to have a spite
against her because you took her part
She was almost broken-hearted over it =,
and was too sick to leave her bed by
morning. | think the heat and so
much study have weakened her, but
she would have come out all right only
for the girls-they have killed her."
There was terrible bitterness and
sorrow in Mrs. Mason's voice as she
turned away to hide her emotion.
" | will bring Anna and Matte here
tomorrow and let them see the effect
of their cruelty" said, Indignantly,
through fast-falling tears. e. hope it
may teach them a lesson"
The next day l told the girls of
Ruth's dangerous illness, and asked
them to 60 with me to her home.
They were reluctant at first, but with
out giving any reason for desiring their
company | so wrought upon their feel
ings that at last they went with me.
There was no change in the poor
| little sufferers condition. She Law as
| yesterday, with head and hands in con-
slant motion, scarcely for a moment
ceasing in her low, incoherent rawlings.
bent over her and spoke her name,
but though the large, dark eyes at last
opened, there was no sign of recogni-
ton in them. Her glance moved
| slowly from one to the other in the
room, but it was evident her mind was
wandering and she did not know them.
Gradually her words became more
connected, and she repeated the same
piteous story of yesterday. Stretching
out her hands toward the girls, though
she still gave no sign of seeing them,
she exclaimed: "Oh, Matte, Anna,
don't, please don't | never harmed
you. What makes you treat me so
about my dress? l can't help it. l
wouldn't say so if you had to wear it,"
ending with the same heart-rending
cry of yesterday, son, it hurts me sol"
The girls had stood looking on, pale
and trembling, and at her repeated pa
thetic cries they broke into sobbing and
ran out of the room.
They will never do it again." / said
to the worn and weary mother. "This
lesson will last lifetime"
I" | hope so, but it has come too late :"
was her hopeless response.
| OH, III, mum is yOuuS anu MAUI
rally strong. She will rally from this,
| know she will"
With the hopefulness of youth l
firmly believed it. l could not endure
the thought for moment of anything
so cruel as that my dear little Ruth
should die now, just when all the future
looked fairest for her. pictured to
myself bright scenes of what her school
days might be with all her mates striv
ing by kindness to atone for the past
| returned to her after the close of
school the following day, and her
mother, without a word, led me to her
bedside.
The restless head and hands were
still, and the lips wore a smile of per-
feet peace. Never again would her
ears be panied or her heart ache at cruel
taunts over her old garments. Dear
little Ruth had put on dress which
would never grow old-the white robe
of immortality.-Jennie Porter arnold,
IN Youths Companion.