The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-06-16
Mrs. Prattlet hesitated.

tnere 10 NOBODY IN the world to let
him have a cent
"AnaSetetter for him, il he did
but know n sharply enunciated the
lold Squire. "rf he had come TO that
ALA dJzen years ago perhaps b q
wqrld not have been the miserable
ssaabond he now is
"We used to go to school togesh-
or" said Mrs. Pratlet. gently. He
was the smartest boy in The class y
That's probable enough" said
the Squire, "but it don't alter the
fact. He is a poor, drunken wretch
now Send him bout his business,
Wary, and il his time is of any con-
sequence, just let him know he had
better not waste it coming here after
dollars
Aud the Squire leaned back in his
chair, after a positive fashion, as il
the whole matter was settled.
Mrs. Pratlet went back TO the
kitchen, where Lnko Ruddilove was
spreading bis poor fingers over tho
blaze Of the fire. his tattered gar
ments seeaming as il he was a pillar
of vapor.
"Then I've got to starve like any
other dog " said Luke Ruddilovc,
turning away. "Bit after all.
don't suppose it makes much differ.
ence il shuttle out OF this world
to-day or 10. morrow"
"Oh, Luke, no difference to your
wifei"
"She'd be better OF without me-"
he said, n-b cartedly.
"But she ought not to be"
''Cnght and is arc two different
things, Mrs. Pratlet. Good night.
I ain't going to the tavern althugh
the Squire thought I was"
"And isn't it natural enough, that
he should think 80, Luke p
"Yes, yes. Mary | don't say but
what il is" murmurel luke, in the
same detected tone he used during
the interview.
"Stop,' Mrs. Prdtlet called to
him, as his hand lay on tho door
latch in n low voice. Here is 4
dollar, Luke. Mr. Prstlet gave it
to me for an oilcloth to 60 in front
Of the parlor stove but will try
and make the old one last lit
tie longer. And Luke, for tho sake
of your poor wife and little ones Mt
home, for the sake of old times,
try and do better, Won't you :
Luke Ruddilovo looked vacantly
at the new bank bill in his hand,
and then at the blooming young
matron who had placed it there.
"Thank you, Mary. I will, God
bless you." he said, and crept out
into the storm that reigned without.
Mrs. Pratlet stood looking into
the kitchen fire.
81 dare say Two done foolish
thing, but, indeed / could not help
it. II he will take it home and not
spend it at the tavern, l shall not
miss my oilcloth."
And there was a conscious flush
on her cheeks, as If she had done
something wrong when she join ed
her husband in the sitting-room.
"Well," said Squire Pratlet. "has
that unfortunate gone at last I"
"Yes."
''ro the Stokes tavern, I sup
pose ~
Il hope not, Josiah"
"rm afarid it's past hoping for"
said the Squire. shruging his shoul-
ders. But Mrs. Pratlet kept her
secret in her own heart.
IL was six months afterward that
the Squire came into the dining
room where his wife was preserv ng
great red apples into jelly.
"Well, we'll" quoth he, ''wonders
will never cease. The Ruddiloves
have gone away"
"Where 7"
IL don't know-out West some-
where with a colony. Aud they say
Luke's not drank dr. op Of whiskey
for six months"
"iam glad of that" esponded
Mrs. r.
sit won't last long" no suggest.
ed. despairingly. SI
"Why not 7"
"Oh, don't know, I haven't any
faith in these sudden reforms"
"Mrs. Pratlet was silent /; she
thought thankfully that, after all.
Luke had not spent the dollar for
liqnor.