The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-08-22

that came home for you today ?"
A dictionary" Ruth replied.
-aE---o--aa~-------.-
have been more complete had she
been informed that her daughter had
brought home boa constructor.
"And what did you get that for,
Ruthie ?" she asked.
Because 1 wanted it," returned
Ruth.
"It must have been pretty expen-
sive," hazarded her mother.
"Yes," sighed Ruth. cit CO t
twenty cents"
Mrs. Culberson appeared relieved,
but not entirely satisfied.
cit seems to me, Ruthie," she
went on querulously, "that a girl
who works for $40 a week, which is
the only income two people have to
depend upon, ought not to be spend
ing her money on a dictionary. If
you had quarter to spare for books,
why didn't you buy three or four
paper-backed novels that would be of
some interest to me, instead Of die
tionary?"
The Culbersons lived in a boarding
house where dictionaries were 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 in most common use.
But somehow, as soon as it became
known 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
desire for knowledge was given a
wonderful impetus.
But the person who found occasion
to refer to the big book most fire.
quently was Mr.. Winter. Mr.. Win
ter was grocer. Of course, in his
business he daily met with many
terms that required elucidation. Hith-
erto he had found the pocket diction-
ary perfectly satisfactory, but after
the advent of the unabridged distion-
ary the much worn, green-backed
little book suddenly lost its useful
ard MEYER .yeE Gsa an sSs syening passed
Culberson's door and politely request
to "come in and look at the diction-
ary minute"
His prolonged visits annoyed Mrs.
Cu1berson at first. His presence pre-
vented her scolding Ruth, and as he
himself seemed deeply immersed in
scholastic lore, thus forbidding OPEN
ing a conversation with him, the poor
old lady's evening became seasons of
exquisite torment.
IT don't know what makes him
come up here so often," she said pet
tishly one night after he had closed
the dictionary and gone away. "He
is an awful bore"
cts your own fault he comes. !"
said Ruth. "You invited him"
"Of course 1 invited him." retort-
ed Mrs. Culberson. II invited all of
them. Doesn't he annoy your"
"No," she said softly. II dom 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.
Mrs. Culberson had long since
ceased sitting up waiting for him to
go, but bade him good night, and
went to bed in the next room.
One evening in early June 10
o'clock passed and Mr.. Winter had
as yet made no movement toward 60
ing away. Ruth watched him close
ly, as she always did when he seemed
engrossed with the words before him,
and she noticed that he had not turn
ed a page for more than an hour.
He looked up at length and their
eyes met. Ruth felt her face flush
ing again, and with the realization Of
her weakness the flush grew deeper.
otis pretty knotty problem that
I have been puzzling over tonight, "
he said with sigh.
Couldn't you find what you were
looking for ?" she asked softly.
"I hardly know. found the word
wanted. Whether it will ever mean
to me what I would like it to mean ]
do not know. Here it is, I have beer
looking at it good deal lately"
He turned the big dictionary round
till she could read the line over which
his finger rested. There was one
word underlined with a pencil. and
she knew it was the one he wished
her to see. 1t was spelled love.
''Is that ever to be for me :" be
asked.
The blush had deepened into scar,
let then. For moment a look ol
exceeding happiness transfgured hel
face, but moment later the old trou
bled expression drove it away. She
turned the leaves of the dictionary
till she came to the word mother. u
"That's all right" he said, anc
nodded toward the door.
Away near the end of the book hel
answer was found.
Ruth" called out Mrs. Culber
son, quarter of an hour later, "wha
made Mr.. Winter stay so late thi!
EVENING""
"He was looking at the dictionary
mother"
"Did he find what he wanted 2
asked Mrs. Culbeson.
eyes, mother" said Ruth, IT be
lieve he did,"