Daily public ledger., 1907-05-30

IhS uobtSI lSSbcu AOI tue llAlS DtluIs
but in the heart of each the troubled
thoughts which had been there since
the coming of the babe remained.
Neither knew just how the feeling
arose, for there was no spoken word,
but each became conscious of a ieal
Gus solicitude over tine child; each
was utterly consumed with love and
ambition for the child, and each felt
a personal pride and triumph in, him.
And as the days had passed, Rr9n had
lavished her love and attentions upon
the child, had talked of her plans for
the child, and, without realizing it, had
scarcely given Naomi chance for
share in it all. How the old woman's
heart yearned for a sense of owner
ship and proprietorship in the child.
How her eyes feasted themselves upon
the face and form of the babe, and
followed with a great hunger in her
eyes every move that the little one
made. The mother became conscious
of this and the thought had flashed
through her heart "She wants my
baby for her own" And then had
come the climax, as indicated in the
opening conversation of our story.
From that moment, when the whole
situation was revealed to the heart of
Ruth, there began a great struggle in
her heart. 1t was her baby. Yes, her
heart welled with gratitude and love
as she remembered how it was through
the loving, helpful influence of Naomi
that she had come to know the true
God and had found entrance to new
life that now had opened up to her
seemingly in all it's rich fullness and
blessing, and yet, as she hugged her
baby close, she would say over and
over to herself: HE is mine"
And Naomi, as she lowered about
mother and child, and sought in tender
solicitude to minister to them, by
quick intuition became conscious of
the state of Ruth's heart and it came
as a great and cruel stab at her own
heart. This babe that had come like
an answer from heaven that the name
of her dead husband might not be cut
off in Israel, and forever shut her
family from hope of being in the ia
vored line Of the promised one who
should be leader like Moses; this
babe whom she felt belonged to her in
peculiar ray; this babe whom she
felt instinctively was destined to be-
come great in Israel-was she not to
have special charge of him? Was she
not to have the direction of his mind
and life as she alone, a devout mother
in Israel, was able to give It? How
she wanted to pour the wealth Of her
devotion to God into that little life as
it unfolded, that it might prove life
pleasing unto God
Thus in the hearts of these two wo-
men the struggle went on.
But with Ruth the conflict was es-
pecially fierce, for the natural inclina-
tions of the mother heart were pitted
against the higher and better self She
was conscious Of Naomis peculiar
claim upon the child and of her special
fitness to have the care and training
of him. But how could she yield the
place she wanted to occupy to her
son, even though it was to one whom
she knew could fill it better? So she
asked herself over and over again, and
was still asking the question on the
day appointed when the neighbors and
| friends had been summoned to the
presentation of the child before the
priest Eli. In fact, after all the guests
had arrived, the question was still un-
answered. The baby was still in her
arms, where, with feverish solicitude,
she had kept him, as though fearful
that to put him down was to lose him.
All through the ceremonies she held
him, and now has come the time
when he shall be named. 1t is her
right to name him, and she can call
him Boaz, as she had expressed her
wish to do. Silence has fallen upon
all the glad, expectant company. All
eyes turn to Ruth and wait for her to
speak.
The conflict RACES fierce within her
breast. Will she speak, or will she
give her baby up? What shall she
do? She must do something They
are all waiting. Shall she let the self.
ish claims of her own heart dictate;
or shall she yield to the dear Naomi
She rises to her feet, the precious
baby still in her arms, She advances
across the floor, the baby still hugged
close to her bosom. She turns, when
in the center, and moves swiftly to-
wards Naomi She reaches the old
woman's side. She stoops and, open
ing her arms, she places the precious
baby in the arms of the mother-in-
law, while a great and glorious light
illuminates her face.
A glad note of approval sweeps over
the company, and the women said unto
| Naomi:
blessed be the Lord, which hath
not left thee this day without a kins-
man that his name may be famous in
Israel And he shall be unto thee a
restorer of thy life, and nourisher Of
thine old age for thy daughterin-law,
which loveth thee, which is better to