Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-05-23

home circle and friends with the old.
time pleasure and vivacity, but she
could not forget the quiet, helpful, up
| lifting influence OF Naomi. Uncon-
sciously she was constantly drawing
comparisons between the life she hti
known after becoming the wife Of Chill
ion, and the life her people lived.
When the time drew near for the fes-
tivities attending the worship Of their
gods she had felt the old thrill OF or
pectant pleasure which she used to
know as she had planned and prepared
to share in the celebrations. But
this feeling soon passed and left her
with that sense Of unrest and dissatis
| faction. 20 that at last, much TO the
surprise OF her friends, she decided
that she would not go to the festiv-
tiles II was then that they besieBed
her with their pleadings until at last
she consented to so.
What lie the matter with me any
way?' she exclaimed, irrltatedly as she
busted herself with the preparations.
why shouldn't 20, and why
| shouldn't / have a good time? Why
should l feel as ] do?" But even
while she impatiently argued with her
self there kept recurring to her mind
the memory of her mother-in-law's
words, as repeatedly she had heard her
say, when asked to attend the feasts:
mo, / have left my own land, but
did not leave my God behind, and
could not 30 UP to the services that
would do honor to those which are no
gods at all"
She had felt glow of admiration
| for Naomi at that time for her brave
| words, and down deep in her heart she
knew that the gods which her people
worshiped were false gods and not
| like the God whom the Hebrews wor-
| SHIPPED. But now that she had gone
back to her people once more and
was away from the strong, uplifting
influence of that godly woman, she
had felt the old desire to enjoy the old
| life as she had formerly done, but
somehow she could not
But I will, l will, WILL" she ex.
| claimed. as she made her final prep.
arations and started forth with the
merry group of friends who had
| come to accompany her to the
| place of the celebration AS they
moved on they chatted and laugh
ed gayly, and 1t was not long ere
the old spirit of gayety had complete
| possession Of her, and she forgot all
about the struggle she had had and
the questions which had kept her in
nnhannv q cfa civ hnr 10
the old home.
Thus the day sped swiftly on. The
festivities were at their height, and
| the great throngs of people awaited
| the coming of the solemn procession
| OF the priests, who in the presence of
all the people were to make their Of
| ferings to the gods and invoke their
| blessings upon the people, following
which the damsels were to dance the
sinuous. dreamy figures which were
part OF the religious ceremonies. Or
pha, arrayed in her filmy, festal robes,
had taken her place with the other
dancers ready to play her part, when
| the time should come, as she had
been wont to do in former years
Are you not glad that you are here
and not in the land of Israeli asked
| one OF her companions standing next
| to her.
Yes answered Orpha enthusiasts
tically, "and / wish Ruth were here
to share in the festivities with u.s."
Foolish she was, indeed,,,-was the
| reply OF the other. What can she
find there but poverty and hardship?
| Have you had tidings from her since
she went away?"
At the mention of the land of Israel
and the name of Ruth stranger
standing near had started and then
listened eagerly to the conversation
which followed, but so occupied were
| Orpha and her friends with their con-
versation that they did not note this
But suddenly they were aroused by an
| abrupt inquiry addressed to Orpha:
Did you know Ruth?" he asked
Bring you word from herr" Orpha
asked. eagerly. rs she well? How
| fares she?" and she continued to pour
out rapid fire Of questions, piling up
her inquiries concerning Ruth.
The stranger lifted up his hand in
! helpless protest TO stem the flood or
questions, saying, as he did so:
Listen, for ! have just come from
Bethlehem and bring tiding of won
derful things which have come to
pass. Call her no longer poor, unfor.
tunate Ruth, for she has become the
wife Of one Of the principal men of
the city"
| bWhaf'c that QpV7b priad mr.
pha, incredulously, believing that her
ears had misunderstood.
And thus importuned the stranger
went on to explain and to give fur
Their details of her sister-in-law's life
since going to Bethlehem.
| Al this point the conversation was
interrupted by the passing of the
/ nrinsts mmmhlinG their Incantatinnr