Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-12-10
WAS IT CHANCE,
BY ANABEL C. ANDREWS.

"AS HI Ok2ANO1Y
BY ANABEL C. ANDREWS.
Gus Hill was the only living child
OF Abijah Hill, wealthy lumber
merchant in the town Of Hudson
His mother was dead, and maiden
aunt kept honse for his father. His
profession was that Of a lawyer, but
he had inherited bis mother proper
ty; SO it wasn't necessary for him to
practice to obtain his daily bread
Right here all his temptations COM
menced. "For Satan finds some mis-
chief still for Idle hands to do;" that
was true a great many years ago, and
it hasn't lost its truth yet. l always
skip descriptions Of peoples personal
appearance, SO will simply say he
was tall, and blonde. Perhaps you
think he looked insipid; but he didn't;
and he wouldn't if he'd parted his
hair in the middle, and waxed his
moustache. The old established citi-
zens OF H said he was an "idle,
extravagant young dog, with good
enough in him somewhere" which
good they were afraid would die for
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 OK
cess" A man may take arsenic and
not die from its effects; but a man
who does not take it certainly will
not die from its effects.
have told you of his bad habits;
SO to be just I must tell you some of
his good ones. He was truthful, gen
erous to a fault, always even-temper-
ed, aud a young man of more than
ordinary abilities; but unless some
saving power intervened, it was evi-
dent to many that he would go to
ruin.
Lulu Campbell was the youngest
daughter Of Eve children. She was
lovely girl. Strictly speaking she
was not beautiful. Her large hazel
eyes, and almost perfect form, were
her only claims to beauty, and yet
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 features.
Gus and Lu had been walking in
the woods. He was saying:
$50, it is tomorrow night that you
young ladies make your attack upon
our hearts and-pocket books?"
eyes," she replied, laughingly. "Be
sure you are wen supplied with both;
you viii need all you can muster"
"What are You going to do?" he
asked.
"Oh. ] am to be spostmistress'-
there will be large mail for yon,
Gus"
"Well, is there anything ! can do
to make myself useful, besides buy
ing waste paper?"
eyes, lots Of things, I shall call on
you for any and everything"
81 shall be at your service all the
evening""
They chatted merrily the remand
er OF the walk home, where Gus left
Lu, to write letters for the post'office,
grave and gay, merry and merciless.
She had written number, when she
thought IF Gus, aud how much he
needed an earnest appeal from some
one to reform. The idea occurred to
her: "Why not L? 1 might write a
letter, and give it to him from the
post-otfice tomorrow night"
She took her pen and wrote him a
long letter, showing him just where
he stood, the danger he was in from
intempcrance, and also from doing
nothing. She advised him to leave
H for a time, as he could more
effectually break off from old associ-
ates, and begin lite anew. She sign
ed the letter, ga 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 occa-
sion. All H was there, for it
was held for charitable purpose, and
H-'s townspeopls were not lack
ing in generosity. Lu had change of
the post-office, and dispensed letters
to anxious applicants at twenty-five
cents apiece. Her courage failed her
and he decided not to give the one
she had written to Gus. She was
fearful he would be angry with her
for some plain truths she had stated.
He would feel humbled at the low
(apparently) estimate she had set up
on him, and above all, she thought
he say, "She has no right to set her
self up as my monitor; I am nothing
to her."
This last consideration had decided
her; she would not give it to him.
She was to take part in the tableau,
and so she asked Clara Cogswell to
tend the post-office during her alb
sence. Just as she was turning away,
Cad said, "There are no envelopes
Lu; have you got any?" Lu put her
hand in her pocket and pushed aside
the large one, the one she had written
to Gus, and handed Cad a package
and number of letters, some sealed,
and others unsealed. She had been
gone but few minutes, when there
came a tap at the window, and then
Gus merry voice
"How many bushels OF letters for
me, Lu?"
Cad's pretty face peefed out from
behind the curtain, as she replied,
"One, Mr.. Impudence." He handed
her a dollar and took his letter, laugh
ing. Poor Lu, she would hardly have
looked SO serene in the tableau if she
had known her letter was in Gus
Hills pocket, instead of her own.-
She had handed it to Cad with the
rest, and Cad had given it immediate
ly to Gus. "Was it chance or some
thing more?" Gus intended to read
his letter, but some one claiming his