The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-05-31

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 vas revealed to the heart OF
Ruth, there began a great struggle in
her heart. II was her baby. Yes, her
heart weiled with gratitude and love
as she remembered how 1t was through
the loving, helpful influence of Naomi
that she had come to know the true
God and had found entrance to q new
life that nov had opened up to her
seemingly In all its rich fullness and
blessing, and yet, as she Rugged her
baby close, she would say oyer 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 1t 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 a leader like Moses: this
babe whom she felt belonged to her In
a peculiar way; this babe whom she
felt instinctively was destined to be.
come great in 1srael-was she not TO
have special charge of him? Was she
not to have the direction of his mind
and life az 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
1t unfolded. that II might prove a life
pleasing unto God.
Thus in the hearts of these two wo-
men the struggle went on.
But with Ruth the conflict was es.
pecialiy fierce, for the natural molina.
lions of the mother heart were pitted
against the higher and better self. She
was conscious of Naomi's 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 II was to one whom
she knew could fill 1t 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 Ell. 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, II liz 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, e~xpecta~t company. All
eyes turn to Ruth and wait for her 10
speak.
The conflict RACES fierce within her
breast. VIII 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 Rugged
close to her bosom. She turns, when
in the center, and moves swiftly to.
wards Naomi. She reaches the old
woman's side. She stccra ana, open.
ing her arms. sac places the precious
baby In the arms Of the mother-in.
law, while a great and glorious light
Eliminates her face.
A glad note of approval sweeps over
the company, and the women said unto
Naomi.
BLESSED be- the Lord, which hath
not lee: tnee this day without a kins.
nan that his name may be famous In
Israel. And he shall be unto thee a
restorer of thy life, and a nourlsher OF
thine old age; for thy daughterin-law,
which loyeth thee, which is better to
thee than seven sons. hath born him.
And they called his name Obed, and
Naomi took the child and laid 1t In
her bosom, and she became nurse un.
to II.