The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-09-20

working out the problem. i really be-
gin to think may be of some use in
that home"
"But you have not been happy there,
dear. And l am sure the work is too
hard for you. You are tired out"
at is the heat, mother. 1 shall be
all right when the cool weather comes
this fall"
Mrs. Clark shook her head doubtful
ly; and when Barbara went up to her
room at last her mother broke down
and had a cry over the situation. Bar
bara had handed her the four weeks
savings, amounting to $14. II was
more than she could have saved on $95
month as teacher, IL she had been
obliged to pay for her own board and
lodgings and incidentals. But, in spite
of all, Mrs. Clark could not understand
the girls evident purpose to go back to
Mrs. Wards permanently.
Up in her room that night Barbara
turned to her New Testament with a
purpose which had been formed since
her talk in the morning. 1t had come
to her mind, while Mrs. Ward was say
ing something about the need which
she had of her, that there were a great
many passages in the New Testament
written especially for servants. And
the idea occurred to her to search for
all of them and make study of them
with special reference to her own case
at what was now a crisis for her f,l-
ture. She would take one passage every
week and dwell on it while at her work
if she should decide to go back to
the Wards indefinitely.
She did not know where to look for
all the passages referring to the
slaves or bond-servants common to
Christ's and Paul's times, but she was
familiar with the beautiful verses in
the second chapter of Philippians, and
she turned to them reading from her
Revised Bible.
In the morning she went down, and
meeting her mother, kissed her affec.
tionately. Mrs. Clark looked at her
anxiously.
"Yes, mother" Barbara answered,
gently, 81 have decided to 20 back
for good. / believe l can be of more
use there than in schoolroom. The
dragon is very fierce and very tough,
mother; and I have been scared and
run away; but | am going back, and
l want your blessing again. There
are going to be some interesting
fights with the dragon this time,
mother, l am sure. For, If Mrs. Ward
will do what she limited at, the drag
on will have two women after him
instead of one. We will make it live
ly for him"
So Barbara walked over to the
Wards, and, going right up to her
room, put on her kitchen dress cher
armor, she called it), came down, and
at the kitchen door met Mrs. Ward.
81 have come to stay" she said,
with a smile.
Mrs. Ward made a step towards her
and Barbara thought at first the wom-
an was going to kiss her. They both
changed color, and then Barbara
gravely said:
"I hope we may be able to do some
thing together, as you suggested"
81 am ready to do something" Mrs
Ward spoke earnestly. eve cannot re-
form everything at once, of course"
Yourselves, for example," said Bar
bara. quickly.
"To be sure" Mrs. Ward replied
Then She added, with show of emo
tion that had affected Barbara the day
before: 81 cannot tell you what Il
great relief It is to me to have you
here. 1t means more to me than I can
tell you just now"
81 am glad of it," Barbara answered,
simply, and at once began the days
work.
The next day was Saturday. In the
afternoon, as Barbara was finishing
the dinner dishes, Mrs Ward came in.
"Will you go to church with me to.
morrow she asked, abruptly.
Barbara started, and then, recover
ing quickly, said: Yes, if you really
want me to-"
'ln the morning; we can arrange to
get dinner when we return"
What will this mean to you?" Bar
bara asked, after awhile.
81 don't know"
'Mr. Ward is wlling?"
tSs l nave ldlhtu IL All over Win
HIN, and he is willing"
81 don't want to cause you needless
Embarrassment" Barbara began in
low voice.
"But it may not cause any embar-
rassment. We will try it, anyway"
"Do any other women in Crawford
bring their servants to church with
them?"
DIR. Vane's wife always does. They
are among the old families here. Very
wealthy and"
81 know DIR. Vane. He and father
went to school together in Fairview."
as that so? Then | will introduce
You to them tomorrow"
Barbara could not avoid smile at
the thought. Nevertheless, she antici-
pated the event or going TO church
with Mrs. Ward with a degree of inter
est that she had not felt in her work
as II servant SINCE those eventful four
weeks in her life had Legun. A new
factor had come into the problem.