The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1899-07-13

Mrs. Culberson looked from the pack
age to her daughter and back again II
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 comprehending thu
import of the query. Her eyes followed
her mothers to the ugly center table
and, "Oh, that" she said, with smile
that's dictionary"
Mrs. Culberson's dismay could no
have been more complete had she beer
informed that her daughter nae
brought home n boa constructor.
and what did you get that for
| Ruthie?" she asked.
Because l needed It," returned
Ruth.
"Itmust have been pretty expensive,
hazarded her mother.
"Yes," sighed Ruth, sit cost nineteen
cents"
Mrs. Culberson appeared relieved
but not entirely satisfied.
ut seems to me, Ruthie," she went
on uuerulously, ''that a girl who works
| for ten dollars a week, which is the
only income two people have to depend
upon. ought not TO be spending her
money for a dictionary. If you had
nineteen cents to spare for books why
didn't you buy three or four of those
paper backed novels instead of die
tionary?"
Mother" said Ruth, quietly, Il wish
YOU hadn't asked that. 1t makes it
necessary for me 10 remind you of
some things that would perhaps better
be left unsald. Whose fault Is it that
we have to live on ten dollars week?
Is it mine? Did 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 l was ten years of age?
"Am | 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 l
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 l 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 lust 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, 'just drop into
our room and see what the dictionary
says. You'll always find it on the stand
in the front ROOM"
The Culbersons lived In a boarding
house where dictionaries We're a rare
commodity. Indeed, Ruth's was the
only one about the house, except Mr.
Winters, which was an exceedingly
small pocket edition, that contained
only the words most in common use.
But somehow as soon as it became
known that there was a large diction-
airy 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
derful impetus.
But the person who found occasion
to refer to the big book most frequent
~ was Mr.. Winter. Mr.. Winter was
n grocer. OF course, in his business he
daily met with many terms that re-
ouired elucidation. Hitherto he had
found the pocket edition perfectly sat
isfactory, but after the advent of the
unabridged dictionary, the much-worn,
green-backed little book suddenly lost
It's usefulness. and never an evening
passed that Mr.. Writer did not rap at
Mrs. Culberson's door and politely re-
quest to "come in and look at the die
tionafy a minute"
His prolonged visits annoyed Mrs.
CulberSon at first. His presence pre-
vented her scolding at Ruth, and as he
himself seemed deeply Immersed in
scholastic lore, thus forbidding opening
a conversation with him, the poor old
lady's evenings became seasons of ex-
quisite torment.
Il don't know what makes him come
up here so often" she said, petulantiy,
one night, after he had closed the die
tionary and gone away. Hes an aw-
full bore"
IFS your own fault he comes" said
Ruth. You invited him."
''Of course l invited him." retorted
Mrs. Culberson. Il invited all of them.
Doesn't he annoy you?'
'No," she said, softly; Il don't know
that he does"
AS the spring days took on the heat
of summer Mrs. Culberson became
more fretful, Ruth became younger
and prettier, and Mr.. Winter studied a
little later hour each evening in bliss
full oblivion of the added heat of the
gas jet.
Mrs. CulbersOn had long since ceased
sitting up waiting for him to so, but
bade him goodnight and went to bed
in the alcoye.
Oneevening in early June, one O'Clock
passed and Mr.. Winter had as yet made
no movement toward going away. Ruth
watched him closely, as She always
did when he seemed engrossed with
the words before him and she noticed
that he had not turned page for more
than an hour.
He looked up at length and their