Evening star., 1938-04-21
Is
Developed
By Love
Honor Also Best
Taught Through
Ones Affection.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

MOTHER had to go away because
she was i'll; Auntie ruled in her
stead. Ruth, aged 8, missed her
mother more than the two older chill
dren did. They understood that their
mother was Ill and that they could
help her to get we'll faster by doing
their best to keep things going smooth
ly at home. They took what came and
said nothing. II they felt uncom-
Portable they charged it up to the
situation and went on from there.
Not 50 Ruth.
Ruth felt aggrieved. Mother used
to help her get ready for school, for
bed, for whatever happening she had
to face. Mother knew that she liked
oatmeal that had been cooked all day
and night for breakfast and had it for
her. Mother knew she liked blue
dresses and took her along to buy
them. Auntie knew nothing about
these things How could she? But
Ruth felt abused. and nobody in the
family knew that but herself. Why
should they?
Come. come, Ruth, you are q big
girl. Get yourself ready for school
and don't dawdle. I've got plenty
to do this morning. Hurry up"
Ruth could not get her hair to
stay under the band. Mother used to
help her. She tried again and again,
but the band would slip or the hair
would slide and 1t was getting closer
and closer to school time. In desper-
alton she snatched up the ribbon,
stuck 1t in her pocket. got into her
coat, put her hat on any way it would
go. and raced across the block to her
friends house.
Please" she gasped, "help me
comb my hair. Auntie won't do a
thing for me. Just pushes me out
Of the house. can't go to school
this way. And if I'm late again they'll
write home, and Auntie will tell IA
ther I'm lazy. I wish my mother
would come home. just hate Auntie.
Mean old thing"
Mrs. Neighbor combed the hair and
tied the ribbon, and shook the frock
into place and sent the children on
their way. Then she went to mar
ket. The child was on her mind, say
ing, Poor little Ruth" when she met
her friend. To her she told Ruth's
complaint and strengthened it by de-
scribing the state of the hair and the
ribbon and the fearful face of the
little motherless girl. The neigh
bor told another, and SO on until one
decided that you ought to know about
this and put stop to It," Auntie
was shocked by such disloyalty, such
lack Of honor.
She talked lot to Ruth about this
She dWelt long on family loyalty and
family honor, but Ruth only cried
more and felt more abused than ever,
for honor and loyalty are only words,
noises that grown-ups make when they
want to be especially disagreeable.
Auntie did not know that what .
little child needs most Of all IS love
and the understanding that love
brings with it. She did not know
that this little girl would understand
love and out of it would grow family
loyalty and family honor, in time. No.
body had ever told her 50 and she had
not the experience with children that
might have taught her. So Ruth and
she could not understand each other
at all, and things were very hard for
them both.
Honor and loyalty are qualities that
love develops. They are not inherited
gifts, set in the child's character. They
must be grown and the way to grow
them is the way love knows.
Copyright, 1889