Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-07-06
A GOOD PURCHASE.
Rx cIarissa hardino,

BY Clarissa Harding.
Ruth" asked Mrs. Culberson of her
daughter, what was the package that
came home for o today?"
"A dictionary Ruth replied.
j, Mrs. Culberson's dismay -uld not
have been more complete had she been
informed that her daughter had
brought home a boa-constrictor.
And what did you get hat for?
Ruthie." she asked.
Because I wanted it," returned
RAth.
1T must have been pretty expensive"
hazarded her mother.
Yes" sighed Ruth. 1T cost ten
pence halfpenny."
Mrs. Culberson appeared relieved, but
not entirely satisfied.
1T seems to me, Ruthie,' she went
on querulously, that q girl who works
only income two people have to depend
upon ought not to be spending her
money on a dictionary. II o had ten
pence halfpenny to spare for books,
why didn't you buy three or D or
those paper-backed novels that would
he of some interest to me. instead of u
dictionary"
The Culbersons lived i'm p boarding
house where dictionaries were a 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 1T became
known that there was Il large dictfOn-
airy in Mrs. CulbersOn's hoom on the
second ioor and that everybody had
been given free access thereto. the de-
sire for knowledge was given a wonder
full impetus.
But the person who found occasion
to refer to the big book most frequent
ly was MI. Winter. Mr.. Winter was a
grocer. OF course in his business he
daily met with many terms that re-
Quired calculation. Hitherto he had
found the pocket dictionary perfect sat-
isfactory, but after the advent of h
unabridged dictionary the much-worn.
green-edged little book suddenly lost Its
usefulness, INC never an evening passed
thai Mr.. Winter did not rap at Mrs.
Culberson's door and politely request
to come In and look at the dictionary
a minute"
His prolonged visits annoyed Mrs.
Culberson at first. His presence pre-
vented her scolding Ruth. and az he
himself seemed deeply immersed in
scholastic lore. thus forbidding opening
q conversation with him. tia poor old
lady's evenings became seasons Of ex-
qutsite torment.
II don't know What makes him come
up here SO Often" she said pettishly
one night after he had closed h die
tionary and zone away. Hes an aw-
full bore
It's your own fault ne comes" said
Ruth. you invited him."
"Of course I invited him." retorted
Mrs. Culbetson. Il invited all of them.
Doesn't he n you?"
NO" she said softly. Il don't know
that he does"
AS the spring days took on the heat
of sun1me Mrs. Culberson became more
fretful. Ruth grew younger and pref
tier, and Mr.. Winter studied still later
each evening In blissful oblivion Of the
added heat of h gas jet.
Mrs. Culberson had long since ceased
sitting up waiting for him to go. but
a d him good night and went to bed
In the next rom.
One evening in early June 10 o'clock
passed, and Mr.. Winter had as yet
made no movement towards going
away. Ruth watched him closely, as
h always did when he seemed en-
crossed with the words before him. and
she noticed that he had not turned q
page for more than an hour.
He looked un at length. n their
eyes met. Rut felt her q flushing
again, and with the realization of her
weakness the flush grew deeper.
Its a pretty knotty problem thai I
have been puzzling over tonight," he
said with a sigh.
Couldn't you find what you were
looking for?" she asked softly.
Il hardly know. / found the word I
wanted. Whether 1T will ever mean to
me what / would like 1t to mean I
do not know. Here 1t il. I have been.
looking at 1t a good deal lately"
He turned the big dictionary round
till h could read the line over which
bis finger rested. There was one word
nnderscored with a pencil, and she
knew 1t was the n he wished her to
zee. 1t WAS spelled l-o-v-e.
rs that ever to be for CT" he
asked.
The blush had deepened into scarlet.
then. For q moment q look Of exceed
ing happiness transflgured her face. but
q later tho old troubled ex-
preston drove 1t away. She turned
the leaves Of the dictionary till she
came to the word mother"
That's all right he said. and nod.
ded toward the door.
Away near the end Of the book her
next answer was found.
Ruth" called out Mrs. Culberson. q
quarter OF an hour later. what made
Mr.. Winter stay 30 late this EVENING"
He was looking at the dictionary.
mother" S--
D he find what he wanted? . asked
Mrs. Culbers0n.
Yes; mother" a Ruth. II believe
a Novel Defense.
a good story b told Of gentleman Of