The Placer herald., 1873-07-19


Mrs. Partlett stood looking into tie kitchen
fire.
"I dare say i'vs dSne foolish thing !"
she pondersd; "but indeed could not help
it. Of course he'll spend it at the public
house, and shall do without my oil-cloth,
that viii be the end of it ALL"
And there was conscious flush on her
check ), ~ If she had done something wrong,
when she rejoined her husband in the sit
t;ng-room.
"Well," said squire Partlett, "las that
ne'er do we'll gone at iast?"
eyes"
'To Stokes tavern sudpose2"
81 hope not, Josiah"
''Im afraid it's past hoping for" said
the squire struggling his shoulders. "And
now for q pleasant evening. How it does
rain, to Be sure"
And Mrs. PartIett kept the secret of the
dollar bill within her own heart.
1t was six months afterward, 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 Ruddildoves have gone
away"
"Gone whereP"
IL don't knowLout West somewhere
with colony. And they say Luke hasn't
touched drop in six months"
''l'm glad Of that. said Mrs. Partlett.
"It won't last long," said the squire, de-
sparingly.
"Why not"
COB. l don't know. l haven't any faith
in those sudden reforms.
Mrs. Partlett was silent; she thought
the dollar bill in liquor.
Six months-six years-the time sped
along in days and weeks, almost before
busy Mrs. Partlett knew that it was gone.
The Ruddildovcs had gone back to Sequo-
set.
Luke had made bis fortune, as the story
went, in the far away El Dorado, vaguely
phrased "Out West," by the simple Sequo-
settlers.
"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 house as never was"
"He must have prosLercd greatly" said
the gentle Mrs. Partlctt.
"And lis wife wears silk gown that
will stand alone with its richness, said Mrs.
Buckingham; caa remember when Luke
Ruddildove was nothing but poor drunken
creatur.'
Gan the more credit to him now," said
Mrs. Partlett emphatcally.
"It's to be all O. stun, said Mrs. Buck
ingham, with marble mantels and inlade
floors. And he's put a lot of papers and
things Under the corner one"
",rhe corner what?" said Mrs. Partlett,
laughing. "Floor or mantel?"
"Stun to be sure" said Mrs. Bucking-
ham. Like they do in public buildings,
you know"
"That is natural ehough."
"Wel it's kind O. queer, but Luke Rud
dildove newer won't like nobody else. Folks
thinks it dreadful strange be should put
one dollar bill in with the other things
Mrs. Pattlett felt her cheeks flush scarlet;
she glanced ub to where the squire was
checking of list of legal items in the bill
he was making out against some client.
But be never looked around, and Mrs. Buck
inghath $eht oh With her never-ceasing flow
of chit-chat, and 60 the color died away in
her cheek. After all the money had been
her own to give; and the oil-eloth in front of
the dining-rooth stove had answered very
well.
She had met Ruddildove that afternoon
for the first time since his return to Sequo-
sett--L1ke himself, yet not himself-the
demon Of intemperehce crushed out Of his
nature, and its better, nobler elements tri-
umphing at last. He looked her brightly
in the face, as he bela oat his hand.
"Mary."
II am glad to see you back here again,
Luke" she said tfemhlously.
"And we'll you may be, be rejoined.
"Do you remember the night you gave me
the dollar bill, and begged me not to 60 to
the tavern ~
"Yes."
"That hight Was the pivot on which my
whole destiny turned. You were kind to
me when every one. spoke colaly; you
trusted me when all other faces were avert
ed. vowed vow. To myself to prove
worthy of your confidence, and kept it. /
did not speha the money! treasured it up
and heaven has added nightly to my lit
tie store. / put the dollar bill under the
cornerstone Of my new house, for the house
has risen from il and it alone. I won't Of
fer to pay you back, for I'm afraid" he ad-
ded, smilingly, "the luck would 60 from
me with it; but I'll tell you what will do,
Mary; will give money and words of
trust and encouragement to some poor
wretch as you gave to me-"
AndSqdife Parlet never knew what his
wife did with the dollar bill he gave her TO
buy q new piece Of. oil-cloth