Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-10-16
The Stprp Tellcr.
THE ONE DOLLAR BILL.

ting intervals, as it were, between; none Of
your mild, persistent patterings on the root,
but regular tempest, wild deluge, rush
ofarrow drops and thunder ofopening floods!
Squire Partlet heard the angry rattle against
the easements, and drew his snug easy chair
little closer to the 6re-a great open mass OF
glimmering anthracite, and gazed with sort
Of sleepy reflective satisfaction at the crimson
moreen curtains, and the gray cat fast asleep
on the hearth, and the canary bird rolled into
droGsy ball of yellow down on its perch.
"This is snug," quoth the Squire. "1::m
glad had that leaky spot fixed in the barn
roof last week. I don't object to a stormy
night once in while when fellows under
cover and there's nothing particular to be
DONE Mary"
eyes" Mrs. Partlet answered. She was
fitting aboutbetween kitchen and sitting-room
with a blue check apron tied around her waist.
"Im nearly ready to come in now, josiah.
Now I WONDER" soto voce, eff that was really
knock at the door, or just a little rush of the
wind and rain?'
She went to the door, nevertheless; and
minute or two afterward she went to her hus-
bands chair
"Joe, dear, it's Luke Ruddilove," she said,
halfapprehensively. The Squire never looked
up from his paper.
"Tell him he's made a mistake. The taV-
ern is on the corner beyond"
"But he wants to know if you will lend him
dollar" said Mrs. Partlet.
"And couldn't you have told him no, with
out the preliminary ceremony of coming IN
here to ask me? Is it likely that shall lend
dollar or even a cent to Luke Ruddilove?
Why, Ihad great deal better throw it among
yonder red Goals! No-of course not"
Mrs. Partlet hesitated.
"He looked so pinched and cold and wretch
ed, Josiah. He says there's nobody in the
world to let him have cent"
GAIL the better for him, if he did but know
it." sharply enunciated the Squire. eff it had
come to that pitch half a dozen years ago, per-
haps he wouldn't have been the miserable
man he is now"
eve used to 60 to school together" 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 his time is of any con-
sequence, lust let him know that he had bet
ter not waste it coming here after dollars"
And the Squire leaned back in his chair
after positive fashion, as if the whole mat
ter was definitely decided.
Mrs. Partlet 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 were
pillar of vapor."
"He won't let you have it, Luke" said she.
81 thought he wouldn't"
"Then I've got to starve, like any other
dog" said Luke Ruddilove, turning away
moodily. "And, after all, don't suppose it
makes much difference whether l shuttle out
of the world to-day or tomorrow. - -----
"Oh! Luke, not to your wife "
"Shed be better off without nae, said Luke,
down-heartedly.
"But she ought not to be-"
"Ought and is are two different things, Mrs.
Partlet. Good night, I amt going to the
tavern, though I'll wager something the Squire
thought I was"
"And isn't it natural enough he should
think so, Luke ?"
"Yes-yes, Mary, I don't say but what it
is" murmured Luke Ruddlove, in the same
detected tone he had used throughout the in
terview.
"Stayw Mrs. Partlet called to him, as his hand
lay on the door latch in low voice. Here's
dollar, Luke, Mr.. Partlet gave to me for a
new piece of oil.cloth to place in front of the
dining.room stove, but I'll try and make the
old one do little while longer. And Luke,
for the sake Of old times-for the sake ofyour
poor wife-will you do better?"
Luke Ruddilove looked vacantly first at
the fresh new bank bill in his hand, and then
at the blooming young matron 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.
II dare say I've done very foolish thing
she popdered "but indeed l could not help
it. Of course he'll spend it all at the public
house, and I shall do without my oi-coth;
that will be the end of it all"
And there was a conscious flush upon her
cheek, as if she had done something wrong,
when she rejoined the Squire in the sitting
room.
"Well," said Squire Partlet, "has that
ne'er-do-well gone at last p
"Yes."
"To stokes's tavern, suppose?"
81 hope not, Josiah"
"I'm afraid it's past hoping for" said the
Squire, struggling his shoulders. "And now
for a pleasant evening. How it does rain, to
be sure"
Mrs Partlet 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 prescrv-
ing some great red apples into jelly.
"Well, WE'LL" quoth he, "wonders will never
cease The Ruddiloves have gone away"
"Gone where ?"
II 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
"It won't last long" said the Squire, des-
pairingly.
"Why not?'
"Oh don't know. haven't any faith in
these 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 away,
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 Ell Dorado vaguely
phrased "Out West" by the simple Sequosset-
ers.