Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-11-12
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From the Pioughman.
WAS 1T CHANCE.

Gus Hill was the only living child
of Abijah Hill, . wealthy lumber mer.
chant in the town Of Hudson. His
mother was dead, and q maiden aunt
kept house for his father. His pro.
fession was that of . lawyer, but he
had Inherited his mothers property;
80 it wasn't necessary for him to prac.
tice to obtain his daily bread. Righ,
here all his temptations commenced
aFor Satan finds some mischief still
for idle hands TO do" that was true, a
good many years ago, and it hasn',
lost its truth yet / know I always
skip descriptions of peoples personal
appearance. so / viii simply say he
was tall. and blonde. Perhaps you
think he looked insipid !; well, he
didn't; and he wouldn't if he'd parted
his hair in tine middle, and wa1-d hi>
moustache. The old-established citi.
zens Of H said he was an "idle,
e1travagant 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. kidder's 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 | must tell you some Of his
good ones. He was truthful, generous
to fault, always even-tempered, and
a young man OF more than ordinary
abilities; but unless some saving Pow
er intervened, it was evident toShany
that he would 60 to ruin.
Luella Campbell was the youngest
daughter of five children. She was a
lovely girl. Strictly speaking she was
not beautiful. Her large hazel eyes,
and almost perfect form, were her on
ly claim to beauty, and vet she was
called "The Beauty of H." 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 to-mo row night, you
young ladies make J qr attack upon
our hearts, and-pocket books!"
"Yes," she replied, laughing. "Be
sure you are we'll supplied with both,
you will need all you can muster"
"What are You to do:' he asked.
40, I'm to be 'post-mistress' s'-there
will be large mail for you, Gus"
"Well, is there anything l can do
to make myself useful besides buying
waste paper!"
ayes, lots of things, shall call on
you for any and everything"
81 shall be at your service all the
evening"
They chatted merrily the remainder
of the walk home, where Gus left Lu,
to write letters for the post-office,
grave and gay, merry and merciless.
She had written q number when she
thought of Gus, and how much he
needed an earnest appeal from some
one to reform. The idea occurred to
her, "Why not 1? might write a let
ter, and give it to him from the post
office tomorrow night"
She took her pen and wrote him a
long letter, showing him just where
he stood, the danger he was in from
intemperance, and also from doing
nothing. She advised him to leave
H for a time, as he could more
effectually break off from old associ-
stes, and begin life anew. She signed
the letter, "a friend who speaks in
your ssinted mothers name." She
sealed it, so she should make no mis-
take.
The evening of the fair was all that
could be desired. The town hall was
brilliantly illuminated for the occa-
sion. A was there, for it was
held for charitable purpose, and
IS towns-people were not lacking
in generosity. Lu had charge of the
post Office, and dispensed letters to
anxious applicants at twenty-five cents
apiece. Her courage failed her, and