Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-18
FOR THE CHILDREN
What Kept Ruth

Mother. may go to sos Ada today7"
said Ruth. as she tied on her sunbon-
net. You know she is going to visit hes
Aunt Emma tomorrow, and wcnt
see her for a whole month
Why, yes, think so'' said Mrs.
Naylor. Your dress is cfean, and you
have all your chores done. Yes. you
may so and stay a little while. You
will miss Ada very much.''1
What If Ada's mother asks me to
stay to dinner" asked Ruth, twisting
her bonnet strings. s...,trg,,s,.
well think you'll have to stay.
them" laughed Mrs. Naylor. BE nice.
polite, little girl, and If she doesn't ask
you. come right back home. Remember,
can trust YOU"
So Ruth kissed her mother good-by
and skipped down the lane and toward
the little woods pasture that separated
her fathers farm from that Of Mr.. Gil
bert. 1t was a pleasant walk, and the
two little girls had worn path eoing
back and forth visiting. The distance
was not long. but she was not in sight
Of home on account of the little hills
that shut out the view.
Mrs. NaylOr was very busy that day,
but along about four in the afternoon
she thought Ruth ought to b. coming
home. Something may have happen
ed" she said. II can always trust Ruth,
and she never was gone this long be-
fore"
/. "Now don't worry" said Mr.. Naylor,
who had been away from home helping
q neighbor thresh. Ruth is past eight
and she can be trusted. Most likely the
girls are having q good time and Mrs.
Gilbert has forgotten to send her home.
But to satisfy her he started down to-
ward the woods pasture, saying he
would meet her on the way home.
Ruth was such trusty little girl that
he walked rather slowly. thinking to
give the little girls moro playtime, since
they would not be able to play together
for so long.
Father! Father!" cried 4 very joyful
but rather faint little voice a. he
reached tho woods pasture. II thought
nobody would ever come"
Poor little Ruth. AS she went singing
through the woods In the morning she
found the cattle in their neighbor'p
woods breaking down the fence ana
about ready to get into her fathers
cornfleld. She drove them far back into
the woods. calling for help as she did
SO, but nobody could hear her at that
distance. Every time she thought she
had the cattle safe from the field and
started to run for help they camo
plunging back, eager for the fresh green
corn. So the poor child had to stay at
the broken place all day.
And never bite Of dinner" said
her father. gathering her up in his
arms and kissing the tear-stained face.
II am so sorry, little Ruth You are
brave girl to care for your fathers corn
so we'll. Sit here in the shade and I'll
mend the fence TN few minutes"
He brought some rails and repaired
the place until he could come back with
hammer and nails and materials, and
then they hurried to the house. You
may be sure Ruth ate hig dinner-sup-
per as soon as her mother could put
the good things on the tahl".
Ruth did not see Ada until she came
home from her visit: but she Thought
She was Well paid for her hard day
when her father took her to town md
let her nick ont the deaTes' ft'e blue
and gold watch You ever sew
For only one days work" " 0'-th
happily. as the lady in the s+c"o p'''~"d
the watch to her new ~" d~"~~ my,
b,t that v'"c = good da''s ~o~k
1T certainly was" said bow father.
: cit saved me- many. many dollars, my
brave little Ruth