The Springdale news., 1909-06-15
'ou did?e Douglas asked, with new

!
 CT pause.
 Couldn't make nothin' out of it. l don't care much for readin'."
 "Oh, it isn't all reading" he correct | ed.
 Well, the guy I saw read all of hisn. He got the whole thing right out of book"
 "Oh, that was only his text" laughed i Douglas 'TextT"
 "Yes. And later he tried to interpret to his eongrega"-
 Easy! Easyw she interrupted. "Come again with that, will youE
 He told them the meaning of what he read"
 Well, 1 don't know what he told 'em, but 1t didn't mean anything to me. But maybe your show is better'n his was, she added, trying to pacify him.
 Douglas was undecided whether to feel amused or grateful for Polly's ever increasing sympathy. Before he could trust his twitching lips to an swer she had put another question to him.
 Are you goin' to do a stunt while l an here -
 'I preach every Sunday, if that's what you mean. I preach this morn ing"
 .'Is this Sunday" she asked, sitting up with renewed energy and looking about the room as though everything had changed color
 Yes"
 And you got matinee?" she ex claimed incredulously.
 We have services,' he corrected. gently.
 We rest up on Sundays" she said in tone of deep commiseration.
 "Oh. l see" he answered. feeling 1t no time to enter upon another discus sion as to the comparative advantages of their two professions.
 What are you goin' to spiel about today"
 About Ruth and Naomi"
 Ruth and who?"
 Naomi" he repeated
 Naomi" she echoed, tilting her head from side to side as she listened to the soft cadences of the word T nevz er heard that name before It 'ud look awful swell Oh billboard wouldn't itF
 It's Bible name. honey" Mandy said, eager to get Into the eonYersa ton Oars buful picture bout her l seed 1t -
 II like to look at pictures" Polly an swered tentatively. Mandy crossed the room to fetch the large Bible with its steel engravings
 ''We got a girl named Ruth In our leap of death stunt Some of the folks Is kinder down on 'er, but | aints
 She might have told Douglas more of her forIorn little friend, but just then Mandy came to the bed hugging large. old fashioned Bible, and Doug las helped to place the ponderous book before the invalid
 See, honey. dar dey Is, the old wo. man said, pointing to the picture of Ruth ana Naomi
 ''Thems crackerjacks, ain't they?' Polly gasped. and her eyes shone with wonder Which ones Ruthf"
 Dis one" said Mandy. pointing with her thumb
 Why. they're dressed just like our chariot drivers What does il say q bout ieln4i
 You can read 1T for yourself. Doug las answered gently There was some thing pathetic ill the eagerness of the starved little mind.
 Well, ain.t much on readiH'-out loud she faltered, growing Suddenly conscious of ter deficiencies Read 1t for me will you E'
 Certainly" And he drew his chair nearer to the bed. One strong hand supported the other half of the Bible and his head was very near to hers as his deep, full voice pronounced the sol chm words in which Ruth pleaded so many years before.
 Entreat me not to leave thee, be read. or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest will go, and where thou lodgest 1 will lodge Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God
 He stopped to ponder over the poetry of the lines
 Kind of pretty, ain't iti" Polly said softly She felt awkward and con strained and little overawed
 There are far more beautiful things than that Douglas assured her en- Enthusiastically as the echo of many such rang i'll his ears
 There arefs And her eyes opened wide with wonder
 Yes. indeed" he replied plying more and more the starvation of mind and longing 10 bring to 1t floods of light and enrichment
 Il guess I'd like to hear you spiel, ]" and she fell to studying him solemly.
 You would f' he asked eagerly
 "is there any more to that storyf. she asked, ignoring his question
 Yes, indeed ,
 Would you read me little more2" She was very humble now.
 Where thou diest will die, and there will be buried The Lord do so to me and more also, If aught but death part me and thee
 Their eyes met There was q long pause. Suddenly the sharp, sweet notes of the church bell brought John Douglas to his feet with start of surprise.
 s'Haye you got to gof" Polly asked regretfully
 Hes. 1 must. but I'll read the rest from the church, Open the window