The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-06-25
The One Dollar Bill.

|. The One Dollar Bill.
How did it rain that Novembe:
night! None Of your undecided
showers, with. hesitating intervals
as it were, between !; none of you
mild, persistent patterings on tn
roof, but a regular tempest, a wilt
deluge, rush Of arrowy drops ane
thunderof opening floods! = =
Squire Partlet heard the angry
rattle. against the easements, ane
drew bis snug easy, chair a little
closer to the fires great oper
mass of glimmering anthracite
and gazed with a sort of sleepy
reflective satisfaction at the Grim
son moreen curtains, and the gre!
cat fast asleep on the hearth, ane
the canary bird rollod into drow
sy ball of yellow on its perch. = =
"This is snug" quoth the Squire
.sI'm glad I had that leaky spo'
fixed in the barn roof last week
I don't object to a stormy nigh
once ina while, when a fellows
under cover, and there's nothing
particular TO be done, Mary. -.
sYes,' Mrs. Partlett answered
She was flirting about between
kitchen and sitting room, with 6
blue check apron tied around he1
waist. -.
eI'm nearly ready to come in
now, Josiah. Now I wonder,'
sotto voce, 'if that was really 6
knock at the door, or just a little
rush of the wind and rain 2
She went to the door neverthe'
less; and minnie or two after
wards she went to her husbands
chair. q ....e .,:'-
Joe, dear, it's Luke Ruddilove,
she said, half apprehensively. The
Squire never looked up from hit
paper. -
TELL him he's made a mistake
The tavern is on the corner be-
vond.' ... ~
But he wants to know if you
will lend him a dol!ar!' said Mrs
Partlet. =.
sAud couldn't you have told him
No, without the preliminary cere:
monv of coming in here to ask me!
Is it likely that I shall lend a dol.
lar or even a cent to Luke Rnddi
love? Why I had a great dea!
better throw it among yonder red
Goals! No!-of course not = ,r
Mrs. Partlet hesitated. =.
'He looks so pinched and cold
md wretched, Josiah. He says
there's nobody in the world to lei
him have a cent" =.
Call the better for him, if he
did hut know it, sharply enunria
ted Squire. If he had come te
that pitch half dozen years ago
perhaps he wouldn't have been the
miserable man he is now.
"We used to 60 to school togeth
err" said Mrs. Partlet, gently. 'He
was The smartest boy in the class.
'That's probable enough said the
SQUIRE, 'but it don't alter the fact
that he's poor, drunken wretch
now. Send him about his business
Polly, and if Lis time is OF any
consequence, just let him know
that he had not better waste i
coming here after dollars
And the Squire leaned back II
his chair after positive fashion, q
if the whole matter was deinitei,
decided. ..~e l.,s
Mrs. Partlett went back to tn
kitchen where Luke RuddlioV'
was spreading his poor, thin finger
ovei the blaze of fire, his tattere'
garments steaming as if he were
Ipillar of vapor. >,
He wouldn't let you have il
Luke said she. 4 thought b
wouldn't n.. -.
Then I've got to starve, like an
: other dog said Luke Ruddilove
, turning away moodily. "And, g
ter all, I don't suppose it make e
: much difference whether I shufh
out of the world to-day or to,mo
row. '. ~
'Oh, Luke, not to your wife!
8 Shed be better off without me
said Luke, down-heartedly. ,
, "But she ought not to be- q
Ought and is are two Gitfere1
things, Mrs. .Partlet. Good-nigh
Iain't goingt to the tavern, I ain