Connecticut western news., 1872-06-21
And the Squire leaned back in his chair

mdCLor was ueu0lCely ScCCleQ.
 Mrs. PartJet went back to the kitchen, where Luke Ruddilove was spreading his poor thin fingers over the blaze of fire, his tattered garments steaming as if he was a pillar of vapor.
 He won't let you have it, Luke,.' said she. I thought he wouldn't"
 "Then I've got to starve, like any other dog v' said Luke Ruddilove, turning moodi- ly away. "And, after all, don't suppose it makes much difference whether shuttle out of the world to-day or tomorrow ''
 "Oh, Luke mot to your wife ?"
 "She'd be better off without me-" said Luke, down-heartedly.
 But she ought not to be-"
 fought and is are two different things, Mrs. Partlet. Good night. ain't going to the tavern, though I'll wager something the Squire thought was."
 "And isn't it natural enough he should think so Luke p
 "Yes--yes, Mary don't say but what it is," murmured Luke Ruddilove, ID the same dejected tone he had used through out the interview.
 "Stop" Mrs. Partlet called to him, as bis hand lay on the door latch, in low voice. "Here's dollar, Luke. MT. Partlot gave it to me for new piece of oilcloth in front of the dining room stove, but I'll try and make the old one do little while longer. Aud Luke, for the sake of old times flor the sake of your poor wife and the little ones at home-do, do try to do better"
 Luke Ruddilove looked vacantly first at the fresh, new bank bill in his hand, and then at the blooming young matrsn who had placed it there.
 "Thank you, Mary" he said, and crept out of the warm, bright kitchen into the storm and darkness that reigned without. Mrs. Partlet stood looking into the kitchen fire.'
 "I dare say I've done very foolish thing" she pondered; but indeed could not help it. Of course he'll spend it all at the public house, and I shall do without my new oilcloth that will be the end of it all.
 And there was conscious flush on her cheek, as if she had done something wrong, when she rejoined the Squire in the sitting room.
 "Well," said Squire Partlet, "hss that ne'er do we'll gone at last2' "Yes.
 "To Stokes tavern, 1 suppose ?" "I hope not, Josiah" I'm afraid it's past hoping for" said the Squire, shrugging his shoulders. "And now for a pleasant evening. How it does rain, to be sure." And Mrs. Partlet kept the secret of the dollar bill within. her own heart. It was six months afterwards that the Squire came into the room where his wife was preserving great red apples into jelly.
 "Well, we'll" quoth he, "wonders never will cease. The Ruddiloves have gone away" ..a ...
 "Where ?'' ...-...... ........ "T don't know-out West some where, with colony. And they say Luke hasn't touched drop in six months. "I'm glad of that" said Mrs. Partlet.
 "It won't last long," said the Squire, despairingly.
 "Why not 2"
 "Oh, don't know. I haven't any faith in these sudden reforms" ...
 Mrs. Partlet was silent; she thought thankfully that, after all, Luke had not spent the dollar in liquor. ...'. Six months-six years-the time sped along, iu days and weeks, almost before busy little Mrs. Partlet knew that it was gone. The Ruddiloves had come back to Sequosset. Luke had made his fortune, as the story went in the far away El Dorado, vaguely phrased "out West" by the sim. pie Sequosseters. 1 "They do say" said Mrs. Buckingham, that he's Eoueht that ere lot down op- posite the Court House, and he's goin' to build such house as never was"
 4"He must have prospered greatly" sad gentle Mrs. Partlet.
 1 "And his wife, she wears silk gown that will stand alone with it's own rich ness," said Mrs. Buckingham. 1T can re- member when Luke Ruddilove was noth- ing but poor drunken creetur."
 "All the more credit to him now," said Mrs. Partlet emphat1cally. ~
 "It's to be sure all O stun," said Mrs. Buckingham, "with marble mantles and inlaid floors. And he's put lot O papers and things under the corner one."
 "The corner whatw said Mrs. Hartlet, laughing.
 "Floor or mantle ?"
 "Stun, to be sure," said Mrs. Bucking- ham. "Like they do in public buildings, you know"
 "That is natural enodgh.'
 "Well, it's kind O queer, but Luke Ruddilove never want like anybody else. Folks thinks it's dreadful strange he should put one dollar bill in with other things"
 Mrs. Partlet felt her cheek flush scarlet !; involuntarily she glanced up to where the Squire was serenely checking off list of legal items in the bill he was making out against some client. But the Squire never looked around, and Mrs. Buckingham went or with her never-ceasing flow of chit chat, and so the hot color died away in her cheek. After all, the money had been her own to give, and the old oilcloth in front of the dining room stove had answered very well. She met Luke Ruddilove that afternoon for the first time since bis return from &c., quosset-Luke himself, yet not himself the demon of intemperance crushed out oi his nature, and it's better, nobler elements triumphing at last. He looked her brightly in the face, and he held out his hand. Mary"
 q am glad to see you back here again Luke" she said, tremulously. !, "And well you may be-" he reioined Do you remember that stormy night Mary, when you gave me that dollar bill and begged me not to go to the tavern P "Yes."
 "That night was the pivot on which my whole destiny turned. You were kind tt me when every one spoke celdly yor trusted in me when all other faces wer, ayerted. vowed VOW to myself to provt , worthy of your confidence and kept it did not spend the money-I treasured ii ! up-and Heaven has added nightly to my little store. put the dollar bill under thu
 corner stone of my new house, for th' ] house has risen from it and it alone. ' won't offer to pay you back, for am afraid, he added, smilingly, "the luck would al { go from me with it; but I'lltell you wha !. l will do, Mary. will give money an. a words of trust and encouragement to som