The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-09-21

MlIuOut lue preliminary CeTmO1y OF com
ing in here to ask me? Is It likely that
shall lend dollar or even cent to Luke
RuddtloveI Why l had q great deal better
throw 1t in among yonder red Goals! No
Of course no."
Mrs. Partlet hesitated.
HE looks so pinched and cold and
wretched, Josiah. He says there's nobody
in the world to let him have a cent"
"All the better for him, il he did bui
know it." sharply enunciated the Squire
"Ifit had come to that pitch half dozeu
years ago, perhaps he wouldn't have beer
the miserable man he is now"
ave used TO 60 to school together" said
Mrs. Partlet, gently. "Hewas the smartesl
boy in the class"
'That'sproable enough" said the Squire
"But 1t don't alter the fact that he's poor
drunken wretch now. Send him about
his business, Polly, and II his time Is Of
any consequence, Just let him know that
he had better not waste 1t coming here
after dollars" .-.-.
And the Squire leaned back in his chair
after positive fashion, as If the whole
matter was definitely decided.
Mrs. Partlet went back to the kitchen
where Luke huddIloye was spreading his
poor, thin fingers over the hlaze OF fire, his
tattered garments steaming asif he were
a piller OF vapor. '-a ode
HE won't let you have it, Luke" said
she N thought he wouldn'tp'
Then I've got to starve, like any other
dog" said Luke RuddiloVe, turning away
modify. "And, after all, don't suppose
it makes much difference whether
shuttle out of the world to-day or to.mor.
row." & 49,
"Oh, Luke, not 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, l amt going
to the tavern, though I'll wager some.
thing the Squire thought was"
And isn't it natural enough he should
think so, Luke"
"Yes-ycs, Mary, don't say but what
ii Is" murmured Luke Ruddilove, in the
same detected tones he had used through.
out inc interview.
"Stayw Mrs. Partlet called to him, as
his hand lay on the door.latch, In low
voice. "Here's dollar Luke, Mr.. Part
let gave to me for a new piece Of oil.
cloth IN front oil the dining room stove,
but III try and make the old one do a
little while longer. And Luke, for the
sake Of old times-fOr the sake Of your
poor wife, will you do better"
Luke Ruddilovel looked vacantly,frst OF
the fresh new bank bill in his hand, and
then at the blooming young matron who
placed 1t there. ! -4.. r..
"Thank you, Mary, he said" and crept
out Of the warm bright kitchen into the
storm and darkness that reigned without.
Mrs. PartlCt stood looking into the kitch.
en- fire.
~ dare say I've done a very foolish
thing" she pondered but indeed could
not help it. or course he'll spend It all at
the public house, and | shall do without
my oil.cloth, that will be the end of it all"
And there was a conscious flush on her
cheek, as if she had done something
wrong, when she rpjoined the Squire in
the sitting.room.
"Well," said Squire Partlet, "has that
nc'er.do.well gone at last ?" 5hA'
"Yes.".
ITO Stokes tavern, suppose2
" hope not, Josiah"
"pm afraid its past hoping for" said
the Squire, Struggling his shoulders.
"And now for q pleasant evening. How
it does rain, to be sure"
And Mrs. Partlet kept the secret OF the
dollar bill within her own heart.
1t was six months afterwards that the
Squire came into the room where his wife
was preserving some great red apples into
jelly.
"Well, we'll, quoth he, "wonders never
will cease. The Ruddiloves have gone
away"
"Gone where?"
u don't know-out west somewhere
with colony. And they say Luke hasn't
touched drop in six months"
I'm glad Of that" said Mrs Partlet.
at won't last long" said the Squire,
despairingly.
"Why not?"
"0h, don'tk Haven't any faith
In those 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 gone back to
SequosSet.
Luke had made his fortune, as the story
went, In the far away El Dorado vaguely
phrased "Out West" by the simple sequoS.
seters.
"They do say" said Mrs Buckingham,
"that he bought that ere lot down opposite
the court house, aud is going to build
such house as never was"
"He must have prOspered greatly, said
the gentle Mrs. Partlet. -.
"And his vile wears silk gown that
will stand alone with its own richness"
said Mrs. Buckingham; N can remember
when Luke Ruddilove was nothing but q
poor drunken creatur."
"All the more credit to him now" said
Mrs. Partlet, emphatically.
"Its to DO all O stun" said Mrs. Buck
ingham, with marble nantes and inlaiu
floors. And he's put a lot OF papers and
thinpR under the corner one "