Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-02-18

Mrs. CulDerSOnS ulSInHy co"'o ho'
have been more complete had she been
Informed that her daughter had
hroupht home a boa constructor ,-,-s
"And what did you get that for,
Ruthie?' she asked.
Because | needed it, returned Rutn'
at must have been pretty expen'
sive." hazarded her mother.
Yes" sighed Ruth. ut cost ~
cents.'
Mrs. Culberson appeared relieved,
but not entirely satisfied.
ut 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. If you had 10 cents
to spare for books, why didn't you buy
three or four of those paper backed
novels that would be of some interest
to me. instead of dictionary"'
The Culbersons lived in boarding
house where dictionaries were a rare
commodity. Indeed. Ruth's was the
only one about the house except Mi.
Winters, which was an exceedingly
small pocket edition that contained on
ily the words in most common use.
But somehow as soon as 1t became
known that there was large diction-
AIRY in Mrs. Culberson's room Oh 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 frequently
was Mr.. Winter. Mr.. Winter was a
grocer. OF course in his business he
daily met with many terms that re-
quired 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
its usefulness, and never an evening
passed that Mr.. Winter did not rap at
Mrs. Culberson's door and politely re-
quest to come in and look at the die
tionary 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.
II don't know what makes him come
up here so often" she said pettishly
one night after he had closed the die
tionary and gone away. He's an
awful bore''
Its your own fault he comes" said
Ruth. you invited him"
"Of course l invited him." retorted
Mrs. CulbersOn. 81 invited all Of them.
Doesn't he annoy your
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 grew younger and
prettier, and Mr.. Winter studied still
later each evening in blissful oblivion
of the added heat of the gas jet.
..
sitting up waiting for him to 60, but
babe him good night and went to bed
in the alcOve.
One evening in early June 10 o'clock
passed and Mr.. Winter had as yet
made no movement toward going away.
Ruth watched him closely as she al
ways did when he seemed engrossed
with the words before him, and she
noticed that he had not turned page
for mere than an hour
He looked up at length, and theil
eyes met. Ruth felt her face flushing
again. and with the realization of heI
weakness the flush grew deeper.
Its pretty knotty problem that
have been puzzling over tonight he
said, with a sigh.
Couldn't you find what you were
looking for?' she asked softly.
81 hardly know. l found the word
wanted. Whether it will ever mean to
me what would like it to mean | dc
not know. Here 1T is. l have been
looking at it good deal lately"
He turned the big dictionary around
till she could read the line over which
his finger rested. There was one word
underlined with a>pencil. and she knew
1t was the one he wished her to see. II
was spelled love.
''.Is that ever to be for me?" he asked
The blush had deepened into scarlet
then For moment a look of exceed.
ing happiness TRANSPORTED her face. but
moment later the old troubled ex
preston drove it away. She turned
the leaves Of the dictionary till she
came to the word mother"
That's all right" he said, and
nodded toward the alcove.
Away over near the back Of the book
her next answer was found.
Ruth" called out Mrs Culberson q
quarter of an hour later. what made
Mr.. Winter stay so late this EVENING""
HE was looking at the dictionary,
mother"
did he find what he wanted 2" asked
Mrs. Culberson.
"Yes, mother" said Ruth. Il believe
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