Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-11-15
And Mrs. Partlet kent the secret of til

uUllar OIL Wltuiu her OWL uedIt.
1t was six months afterward that tt
Squire came into the room where his wi
was preserving great red apples into jell,
"Well, well,' quoth he, "wonders move
will cease. The Ruddiloves have gon
away"
"Where?"
Il don't know-out West somewhere
with colony. And they say Luke hash
touched drop in six months
I'm glad of it," said Mrs. Partlet.
''It won't last long," said the Squire, Dc
spairingly.
"Why not ~
sOh, 1 don't know. I haven't any fait
in these sudden changes
| Mrs. Parlet was silent; she though
thankfully that, after ali, Luke had DO
spent the dollar in liquor.
Six months-six years-the time spe
along in days and weeks, almost before bus,
little Mrs. Partlet knew that it was gone
The Ruddiloves had come back to Sequos
set. Luke had made his fortune, as thu
story ran in the far away Ell Dorado, vague
ly phrased ''out West" by the simple Sc
auosseters. .---.- s,.z 4ssss.s ~
"They do say said Mrs Buckingham
''that he has bought that ere lot down op
posite the Court house, and he's going tt
build such house as never was"
''He must have prospared greatly" sail
gentle Mrs. Partlet.
"And his wife. she wears silk gown tia
stand alone with its own richness" sale
Mrs Buckingham II can remember wher
Luke Ruddilove was nothing but poo'
drunken creetur."
"All the more credit to him now" sale
Mrs. Partlet emphatically.
cts to be all O. stun," said Mrs. Buck
ingham, with marble mautles and iulad
floors. And he's put lot O papers and
things under the corner one."
eThe corDer what - said Mrs. Parilet
laughing.
Floor or Mantle"
''stun, to be sure," said Mrs. Bucking g.
ham. "Like they do in public buildings,
you know"
"Well. its kind o queer, but Luke Rua
dilove never want like anybody else Folks
thinks it's dreadful strange he should put
dollar bill in with the other things"
Mrs. Partlet felt her cheek flush scarlet
involuntary she glanced up to where the
Squire was serenely c., ecking off a list Of le-
gal items 10 the bill be was making out
against some client. But the Squire never
looked around, and Mrs Buckingham
went on with her never-ceasing flow of
chit chat, and SO the color died away in her
cheeks. After all, the money had been her
own to give, and the oil-cloth in front Of the
dining room stove had answered very we'll
She met Luke that afternoon for the first
time since his return to Sequosset-Luke
himself yet not himsslf-the demon intern
perancs crushed cut Of his nature, and its
better, nobler elements triumphing at last.
He looked her brightly in the face, and held
out bis hand.
MARY"
I'm glad to see you back here again,
Luke she said TREMENDOUSLY
And we'll you may be-" he rejoined. DO
you remember that stormy night, Mary,
when you gave me that dollar bill, and beg
ged me not not to 90 to the tavesn p
eyes"
"Tbat night was the pivot on which my
whole destiny turned You were kind to
me when every one spoke coldly; you trust
ed in me when all faces were averted I
vowed "a vow to prove myself worthy of your
confidence and [ kept it. did not spend
the money! treasured it up-and Heaven
has added nightly to my little store. I put
the dollar bill under the corner stone of my
new house, for the house has risen from it
and it alone. don't offer to pay you back,
for Tn afraid" he added, smilingly, 'the
luck would all 60 from me with it; but I'll
tell you what will do, Mary. l 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 hsr to
buy new piece Of oil-cloth.
MEN OF Few WoRDs.-Some men use