The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-02-02
The Revolt
| of Ruth Allen.
(From the London Daily Mail.)

lage smuggling at the bottom OF deep VAL
ley, as if hiding from curious eyes. Inc
road leading to it comes down steep hlll
winds in and out among the houses ana
finding nothing Of Importance to warrant
it's staying scampers up the hill on the OPP
posite side and is lost to sight over the top
Viewed from either nill the road might
easily be regarded a mammoth string
which drew the houses together and held
them in a tight bunch
Halfway up the hill south of the village
stood a small story -and-a-half cottage.
This tiny house with it's acre of ground
was known as the odd Barber place.. ana
was the home of two maiden sisters, Rulh
Allen and Thankful Barber. The two
women had small income, to WElch each
added according to her strength and talent
Thankful was d strong-willed and master
ful woman, and took the entire manage
ment Of the place upon herself. she ollls-
entity cultivated the acre of ground, and
from it supplied the villagers Win VeSe-
tables and fruit.
Ruth Allen the younger, and as she
small, delicate woman, and signify
lame from accident in her baby OO0, she
regarded by her more robust sister az
little more than u child, and looked alter
and aumonished accordingly. Ruth Allen
she was always called Ruth Allen-being
a most unassumng body, never questioned
Thankful'S ways, but meekly submitted TO
her discipline, even in the matter OF the
gowns she Wore and the food she ate. Ruth
Allen did dressmakng and tailoring for the
village mothers, cutting down the garments
of the elder members of the family for the
younger. cleaning and pressing TILL they
looked as good new.
Now, Ruth Allen said Thankful, as
they rose from the breakfast table one
bright morning, you get to work and
i I}urdOD, l
told his mother she could have it tonight,
and you'll have to be busy to get 1t nm
ished. I've got all l can get through this
morning with hanging out the clothes and
killing slugs the cuCumbers.
Il think I'll take a little walk round the
garden before l begin" said Ruth Allen.
1T would freshen me up bit. l didn't
sleep very we'll last night
''Nonsense." cried Thankful. you slept
all night as good as [ did. and you don't
want to go tramplng round the garden
with the grass all wet. Satan finds some
mischief still for idle hands to do and
feet too, for that matter
Ruth Allen took her work and sat down
by the kitchen window, but she could not
suppress a sigh she looked out on the
dewy freshness of the garden. Thankful
hustled about, washing the breakfast
dishes, then drawing tub of clothes from
under the table, began to wiring them out.
The window by which Ruth Allen was sit
ganced out now and then.
You'll get your clothes out before any
one in the village" she said, as Thankful
took up her basket. Nobody else mas got
| theirs out not even the Widow Filkins.
You'd better be attending to your work
| instead of watching the neighbors, was
| all the reply that Thankful vouchsafed.
| Thus rebuked, Ruth Allen piled her needle
! so industriously that jamie Burden was IN
/ a fair way to get his coat before the time
j promised. Thankfuls washing was soon
! hanging the line.
It's a hot morning. she said as she
| came back into the kitchen. You ought
to be thankful YOU can sit here where 1t S
| cool instead of breaking your neck bend
| ing in the SUM-
Yes. l know, but l m not Ihank1ul-l m
lust Ruth Allen" This was Ruth Aliens
only joke.
| Il wish you'd come and look at the vii
lage" she went on Not a soul has got
any clothes out yet, and there's numbe:
| of folks in the street. wonder what
| happened"
| Thankful came to the window but 1t was
| TO examine tie progress Ruth Allen was
making on the coat.
Ruth Allen sewed swiftly, though her
thoughts were busy with the possible hap
penings in the village. What could be the
matter? Something startling, or the
| Widow Filkins would never have neglected
her washing BY and by her curiosity got
! the better of her discretion. Seeing Ihank-
full down on her knees among the cucuEl-
Der plants, apparently obvious to every
thing except the wholesale slaughter OF
| her garden enemies she laid down her
| work and stole softly into the back room
! where from the secretaire she took an OLD
| spvglass that was her fathers. she hur-
! ried back Thankful was still bending over
| the c,cumberS. She had not been missed
In her fear of being discovered by Thank
| full it was sone time before she could ad-
! lust the glass to her vision
| "GoOdness gracous! she said as soon as
she could see clearly. Somethlng mas nap
pened The Widow Fill<ns' yard is full Oh
! folks. Looks as if everybody in the village
was there And there's the constable! HOW
wish | could hear what they're talking
| about. Goodness, here comes another, q
! stranger. l WONDER
/ So engrossed had she become with the ex-
citing scene she quite forgot to watch LOT
| Thankful She was suddenly reminded OF
! her by having the glass taken away ana
| hearing stern voice say:
| Ruth Allen Barber I'm ashamed of you!
What do you mean by spying on the neigh
| bors with a glass? l have to watch you
more than l would child. You take your
| work and sit by the WlndCW tnere "here
| can see you"
| Ruth Allen said not a word, but humbly
| obeyed Thankful locked the glass into the
| secretaire and put the key In her pocket.
Then she went back to her gardening.
| I've got the coat almost done,' said Ruth
| Allen, when Thankful came in to get the
dinner us Mrs. Burden coming after it. or
| have you got to take it down there?'
shes coming after it," replied Thankful.
! .'Tl set on an iron SO 1 can press it right
| after dinner
The simple meal was soon prepared and
| the two women sat down to their dinner.
| They did not linger over it, but ate as a
matter of duty. Thankful finished first and
| rose without ceremony, brought out the
| press board and began pressing the seams
| of the coat. Her back was toward Ruth
| Allen Suddenly she turned round and look
ed at her.
you were telling fortunes. Ruth Allen.
Don't deny it; there's the tea grounds in the
| saucer A body would think you were IA
| instead Of nigh 40.
Pm only 80, come August" said poor