The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-27
A STRANGE PROPOSAL

NlbS NUN SulpCISou pou6AI ACi uiS-
ti0nary at a fire sale. It was unabridg-
ed and contained $4,000 words printed
on 1881 pages Of heavy white paper.
There was no appendix Of weights and
measures and proper names, but then
she paid only 10 cents for 1t.
Ruth laid the dictionary on the small
table that stood in the center Of the
room, perfect monument to ugliness,
and without unwrapping 1t or vouch-
safing any explanation as to what it
was she went into the alcove adjoining
their little parlor, and began to remove
the dust and .cinders she always carried
home with her from the downtown dis
trict.
Her mother regarded the package on
the table with increased curiosity. She
felt it and lifted 1t and tried to tear off
corner of the paper covering, but she
did not remove the wrapper.
Ruth came back into the parlor at
length and sat down near the window.
Mrs. Culberson looked from the pack
age to her daughter and back again, in
silent agony. Evidently she could en-
dure the strain no longer.
What did you get to-day, Ruthie?'
she asked, meekly.
Ruth turned round with wondering
air, as If not fully compromising the
import of the query. Her eyes follow
ed her mothers to the ugly center ta-
BILE, and, 20, that" she said, with a
smile, that's dictionary"
Mrs. Culberson's dismay could not
have been more complete had she been
Informed that her daughter had
brought home a boa constructor. =.
And what did you get that for,
Ruthie?" she asked.
Because needed it," returned Ruth.
1T must have been pretty expen-
sive," hazarded her mother. !
YES" sighed Ruth, ut cost 10
cents"
Mrs. Culberson appeared relieved,
but not entirely satisfied. I.
1T seems to me, Ruthie," she went
on ENORMOUSLY, that girl who works
for $40 week, which is the only in
come two people have to depend upon,
ought not to be spending her money
for a dictionary. II you had 10 cents
to spare for books, why didn't you buy
three or four Of those aper-backed
novels that would be Of some interest
to me, instead Of dictionary"
Mother" said Ruth, quietly, Il
wish you hadn't said that. 1t makes
1t necessary for me to remind you of
some things that would perhaps better
be left unsaid. Whose fault is it that
we have to live on $40 week? Is it
mine? Did I take what money my
father had left US and squander it IN
dishonorable speculation? Is it my
fault that l have had to work ever
since was 10 years Of age?
Am l to be blamed because you, in
your old age and sickness, are Obliged
to sit here day after day in this cheer
less, comfortless room which is all I
can give you except the food that holds
soul and body together? And lastly,
mother, is it my fault that my educa-
ton was SO neglected when l was
young that find it necessary to refer
so often to the dictionary now? l am
not complaining, mother, but you ought
not to reproach me for indulging in
just one expenditure in which your
comfort was not considered"
In spite Of Mrs Culberson's keen dis
appointment in regard to her daugh-
ter's purchase she derived unlimited
satisfaction from dilating on the mer-
its of the dictionary to the other board
ers.
'If you ever want to look anything
up" she said, cordially, lust drop in
to our room and see what the diction-
ary says. You'll always find it on the
stand in the front ROOM"
The Culbersons lived II boarding
house where dictionaries were a rare
Indeed, Ruth's was the
only one in the house, except Mr.. Win
ter's, which was an exceedingly small
pocket edition, that contained only the
words in most common use.
: But somehow as soon as it became
EAown that there was large diction-
ary in Mrs. Culberson's room on the
second floor and that everybody had
been given free access thereto the de-
sire for knowledge was given won
ierful impetus.
But the person who found occasion
o refer to the big book most frequent
y was Mr.. Winter. Mr. Winter was a
grocer. OF course in his business he
laily met with many terms that re-
luired elucidatith. Hitherto he had
ound the pocket edition tArfectly sat-