Ruth | Page 8

believing she had sufficiently explained her meaning; but Mrs.
Mason would not understand, and did not wish for any further
elucidation.
"Well, my dear, you must learn to think and work, too; or, if you can't
do both, you must leave off thinking. Your guardian, you know,
expects you to make great progress in your business, and I am sure you
won't disappoint him."
But that was not to the point. Ruth stood still an instant, although Mrs.
Mason resumed her employment in a manner which any one but a "new
girl" would have known to be intelligible enough, that she did not wish
for any more conversation just then.
"But as I was not diligent I ought not to go, ma'am. Miss Wood was far
more industrious than I, and many of the others."
"Tiresome girl!" muttered Mrs. Mason; "I've half a mind to keep her at

home for plaguing me so." But, looking up, she was struck afresh with
the remarkable beauty which Ruth possessed; such a credit to the house,
with her waving outline of figure, her striking face, with dark eyebrows
and dark lashes, combined with auburn hair and a fair complexion. No!
diligent or idle, Ruth Hilton must appear to-night.
"Miss Hilton," said Mrs. Mason, with stiff dignity "I am not
accustomed (as these young ladies can tell you) to have my decisions
questioned. What I say, I mean; and I have my reasons. So sit down, if
you please, and take care and be ready by eight. Not a word more," as
she fancied she saw Ruth again about to speak.
"Jenny, you ought to have gone, not me," said Ruth, in no low voice to
Miss Wood, as she sat down by her.
"Hush! Ruth. I could not go if I might, because of my cough. I would
rather give it up to you than any one if it were mine to give. And
suppose it is, then take the pleasure as my present, and tell me every bit
about it when you come home to-night."
"Well! I shall take it in that way, and not as if I'd earned it, which I
haven't. So thank you. You can't think how I shall enjoy it now. I did
work diligently for five minutes last night, after I heard of it; I wanted
to go so much. But I could not keep it up. Oh, dear! and I shall really
hear a band! and see the inside of that beautiful shire-hall!"

CHAPTER II
BUTH GOES TO THE SHIRE-HALL
In due time that evening, Mrs. Mason collected her "young ladies" for
an inspection of their appearance before proceeding to the shire-hall.
Her eager, important, hurried manner of summoning them was not
unlike that of a hen clucking her chickens together; and, to judge from
the close investigation they had to undergo, it might have been thought
that their part in the evening's performance was to be far more

important than that of temporary ladies'-maids.
"Is that your best frock, Miss Hilton?" asked Mrs. Mason, in a
half-dissatisfied tone, turning Ruth about; for it was only her Sunday
black silk, and was somewhat worn and shabby.
"Yes, ma'am," answered Ruth quietly.
"Oh! indeed. Then it will do" (still the half-satisfied tone). "Dress,
young ladies, you know, is a very secondary consideration. Conduct is
everything. Still, Miss Hilton, I think you should write and ask your
guardian to send you some money for another gown. I am sorry I did
not think of it before.
"I do not think he would send any if I wrote," answered Ruth, in a low
voice.
"He was angry when I wanted a shawl, when the cold weather set in."
Mrs. Mason gave her a little push of dismissal, and Ruth fell into the
ranks by her friend, Miss Wood.
"Never mind, Ruthie; you're prettier than any of them," said a merry,
good-natured girl, whose plainness excluded her from any of the envy
of rivalry.
"Yes; I know I am pretty," said Ruth sadly; "but I am sorry I have no
better gown, for this is very shabby. I am ashamed of it myself, and I
can see Mrs. Mason is twice as much ashamed. I wish I need not go. I
did not know we should have to think about our own dress at all, or I
should not have wished to go."
"Never mind, Ruth," said Jenny, "you've been looked at now, and Mrs.
Mason will soon be too busy to think about you and your gown."
"Did you hear Ruth Hilton say she knew she was pretty?" whispered
one girl to another, so loudly that Ruth caught the words.
"I could not help knowing," answered she simply, "for many people

have told me so."
At length these preliminaries were over,