The Republican journal., 1872-12-12
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"Gone where9"
81 don't know-out West somewhere
with a colony. And they say Luke hasn',
touched a drop in six months"
Pm glad of that" said Mrs Partlet.
ut won't last long" said the squire,
despairingly.
Why not?"
''Oh, don't know haven't any faith
in these sudden reforms"
Mrs. Partlet was silent; she thought
thankfully that after all Luke had not
spent the dollar bill in liquor.
Six months-six years-the time sped
along, in days and weeks, almost before
busy little Mrs Partlet knew that it was
gone. The Ruddiloves had got back to
Sequosser.
Luke had made his fortune, as the story
went, in the far-away Ell Dorado, vaguely
phrased "Out West" by the simple Sc
quosseters.
''They do say" said Mrs Buckingham
''that he's bought that ERE lot down oppo-
site the court house, and is going to build
such a house as never was"
''He must have prospered greatly" said
the gentle Mrs. Partlet
| 'And his wife wears silk gown that
will stand alone with its own richness"
said Mrs. Buckingham; 81 can remember
when Luke Ruddilove was nothing but
| poor drunken creatur."
| ''All the more credit to him now" said
Mrs. Partlet, emphatically.
Its to be all O stun" said Mrs. Buck
ingham, with marble mantels and inlaid
| floors. And he's put a lot Of papers and
things under the corner one"
''The corner what?" said Mrs. Partet,
laughing. "Floor or mantel?"
''Stun to be sure" said Mrs. Bucking-
ham. Like they do in public buildings,
you know"
"That is natural enough"
''Well, it's kind O. queer, but Luke
Ruddilove never want like nobody else
Folks thinks it's dreadful strange he should
put a one dollar bill with the other things"
Mrs. Partlet felt her cheeks flush scarlet
she glanced up to where the squire was
checking off a list of legal items in the
bill he was making out against some
client. But he never looked around and
Mrs. Buckingham went on with her never
ceasing flow of chit-chat, and so the color
died away in her cheek. After all the
money had been her own to give, and the
old Oil-clOth in front of the dining room
stove had answered very we'll
She met Luke Ruddllove that afternoon
for the first time since his return to Sc
quossel-Luke himself. YET not himself. -
the demon OF intemperance crushed out of
his nature, and its better, nobler elements
triumphing at last. He looked her bright
ly in the face, rs he held out his hand
MARY"
II am glad to see YOU back here again.
I,ukp - she said tremulouslv
"And well you may be-" he reioined
ado you remember the night You gave
me the dollar BILL and begged me not to
90 to the tavern ?"
Yes"
That night was the pivot on which my
whole destiny turned. You were kind to
me when every one spoke coldly; You
trusted me when I'll other faces were
avcrted. | vowed VOW to myself to
prove worthy of your confidence, and |
kept it, did not spend the money! trea-
sured it up-and heaven has added might
ly TO my little store. put the dollar bill
under the cornerstone Of my new house,
for the house has risen from it and it
alone. ! won't offer to pay you back, for
am afraid" he added smilinglv, 1.-The
luck would 90 from me with it; but I'll
tell you what l will do, Mary will give
money and words of trust and encourage
ment to some other poor wretch as you
gave to me.
And Squire Partlet never knew what his
wife did with the dollar bill he gave her
to buy new piece of oil-cloth.