The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-11-25
WHOLE NO. 1883.


looked insipid well, he didn't; and he
wouldn't if he'd parted his haIrin the
middle. and waxed his moustache. The
old established citizen of H said he :
was "an idle, extravagant young dog,
with good enough in him somewhere
which good they were afraid would die
| for the want of proper cultivation. Nor
was this all; it was rumored that he had
been seen intoxicated the night of Mrs.
Kidders party Most of the young men
knew he drank little you know, but
of course not to excess A man may
take arsenic and not die from its effects"
but man who does not take it certainly
will not die from its effects
have told you of his bad habits; so
| to be just l must tell you some of his
good ones He was truthful, generous
| to a fault always even-tempered, and a
! young man of more than ordinary abili-
| ties; but unless some saving Power in
tervened, it was evident TO many that he
would go to ruin.
Luella Campbell was the youngest
daughter of FIVE children. She was u
| lovely girl. Strictly speaking she was
/ not beautiful Her large hazel eyes, and
almost perfect form, were her only claim
| to beauty, and yet she was called 'The
Beauty of II" 1t was her pure soul, her
loving and merry disposition, which
made her So rather than beauty of form
or feature.
Gus and Lu had been walking in the
woods He was saying:
$50 it is tomorrow night you young
ladies make your attack upon our hearts,
and-pocket books?
Eyes, she replied, laughing BE
sure you are well supplied with both, you
will need all you can muster"
What are you to do?" he asked.
80, I'm to be 'post-mistress there
will be large mail for you, Gus"
"Well, is there anything l can do to
make myself useful, besides buying waste
paper?"
es, lots of things, shall call on you
for any and everything"
Il shall be at your service all the even
ing
They chatted merrily the remainder of
the walk home, where Gus left Lu, to
write letters for the postoffice, grave and
gay, merry and merciless. She had
written a number when she thought of
Gus, and how much he needed an earn
est appeal from some one to reform.
| The idea occurred to her, "Why not Z?
l might write letter, and give it to him
from the postofiee to orrow night
She tools her pen and wrote him long
letter, showing him just where he stood,
the danger he was in from intemperance,
and also from doing nothing She adj
vised him to leave III. for time, as he
could more effectually break off from old
associates -begin-life anew She
signed the letter, "a friend who speaks
in your sainted mothers name" She
sealed it and wrote his name upon it, SO
she should make no mistake.
The evening of the fair was all that
could be desired. The town hall was
brilliantly Illuminated for the occasion.
All H was there, for it was held for
charitable purpose, and H-'s-towns-
people were not lacking in generosity.
Lu had charge of the postoffice, and dis
pensed letters to anxious applicants at
twenty-five cents apiece. Her courage s
failed her, and she decided not to give
the one she had written to Gus She
was fearful he would be angry with her p
for some plain truths she had stated
He would feel humbled at the low Zap
parently) estimate she put upon him;
and, above ali. she thought he would say
She has no right to set herself as my,
mentor; | am nothing to her"
This last consideration had decided
her; she would not give it to him She
was to take part in tableau, and so she
asked Clara Cogswell to tend the post
Office during her absence. just as she
was turning away, Cad said, There are
no envelopes, Lu; have you got anyP'
Lu put her hand in her pocket and
pushed aside the large one the one she
had written to Gus, and handed Cad
package and a number of letters, some
sealed, others unsealed. She had been
gone but few minutes, when there
came tap at the window, and then
Guss merry voice h7
How many bushels of letters for me,
Lu?' 3
Cad's pretty face peered out from be-
hind the curtain, as she replied, zone,
Mr.. Impudence" He handed her dol
lar and took his letter, laughing. Poor
Lu, she would hardly have looked so Sc
rene in the tableau, if she had known
her letter was in Gus Hills pocket, in
stead of her own. She had handed it to
Cad with the rest, and Cad given it i'm
mediately to Gus. "Was it chance or
something more?" Gus intended to read
his letter, but some one claiming his at e..
tentiOn, he thought no more about it un-
til he reached home AS he read emo
tions expressive of astonishment, anger,
and sorrow, passed in turn over his face
He knew the andNriting at once Walk
ing excitedly up and down the room he
exclaimed, Can indeed be in the dan
ger she represents? She advised me to
leave Hudson, and tells me to make
man of myself!" He spent the night in
thinking and planning. Just as the first
faint streak of gray appeared in the east,
he threw himself upon the bed and slept
till noon,
After dinner he called upon Lu. He
spoke of his letter, and said, 81 am going
to take your advice, and make a man OF
myself. l have come to you for your
promise to be my wife, when shall hayea
abstained from liquor one year, and earn
ed living at my profession meantime.
Can you trust me, darlingT
The little hand was placed in his, and
she said, II trust One higher than you;
He will keep and help you, dear!''
He went out from her presence, feeling
somehow lifted out of himself and the
narrow, aimless life he had led, into
broader and nobler resolve He seemed
to have courage to do and dare anything
for her dear sake.
Five years have gone by, and the town
hall in H is again illuminated. Tc-
night there is to be temperance lecture
by an eminent lawyer. The hall is
crowded, for he is a native of H, and
she is proud OF him. A gentleman pass
es up the aisle, followed by a lady lead
ing two-year-old boy by the hand. He
seats them and passes on to the plat
form, where he is introduced as the
Hon. Augustus Hill. Yes, it is Gus, mo-
BILE man and Christian, making has
mark in his day and generation; ana
taking his stand for the Right. Luella
is his proud and happy wifei and little
Georgie is the light of their home Again
| saw WAS it chance, or something