Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-04-02
THAT ONE.DOLLAR BILL.

How it did rain that November night.
None of your undecided showers, with
hesitating intervals, as it were, between
none, of your mild, persistent gatherings
on the roof, but regular tempest,
wild deluge, a rush of arrowy drops and
q thunder of opening floods!
Squire Pratlet heard the rafting up
against the easements, and drew his
snug easy chair closer to the fire-a
great, open mass of glimmering anthra-
cite, and gazed with a sort of sleepy, re-
Elective satisfaction at the crimson
moreen curtains, and gray cat fast
asleep on the hearth and the canary bird
rolled into drowsy ball of yellow down
upon its perch.
"This is snug" quoth the Squire {;
"I'm glad had the leaky spot in the
barn fixed last week. don't object to
stormy night once in while when a
fellows under cover, and there is moth
ing particularly to be DONE"
YES Mrs. Pratlet answered. She
wasflitting aboutbetweenthek kitchens and
sitting-room with Il great blue checkered
apron tied about her waist. 81 am
nearly ready to come in, now. Well, |
WONDER" soto voce, IF that was a
knock at the door or just little rush OF
the wind"
She went to the door, nevertheless,
and q minute or two afterward she went
to.her husbands chair.
"Joe, dear, it's Luke Ruddilove,"
she said, half apprehensively. The
Squire never looked up from his read
ing.
"Tell him he has made mistake
The tavern is on the second corner be.
yond."
"But he wants to know if you will
lend him a dollar" said Mrs Pratlet.
"Couldn't you tell him no, without
the ceremony of coming to meP Is i
likely that l should lend dollar, o.
even a cent, to Luke RuddiloveP Why
I'd a great deal rather throw it among
yonder red Goals. No-of course not.
Mrs. Pratlet hesitated.
ale looks so pinched and cold anC
wretched, Josiah. He says there is no
body in the world to let him have ;
cent
Gan the better for him, if he did bu
know it," sharply enunciated the ole
Squire. eff he had come to that half
dozen years ago perhaps he would no
have been the miserable vagabond h
now is
eve used to 60 to school together,
said Mrs. Pratlet, gently. "He was tn
smartest boy in the class"
"That's probable enough" said tn
Squire, "but it don't alter the fact. II
is,a poor, drunken wretch now. Sen,
him about his business, Mary, and if hi
time is of any consequence, just let hir
know he had better not waste it COMM
here after dollars"
And the Squire leaned back in hi
chair, after positive fashion, as if tn
whole matter was settled.
Mrs. Pratlet went back to the kitchen
where Luke Ruddilove was spreadin
his poor fingers over the blaze of the fire
his battered garments steaming as if b
was q pillar of vapor.
"Then I've got to starve like an
otteruog!" said Luke Ruddilove, turn
ing away. "But after all, don't SUI
pose it makes much difference if Snuff
out of this world to-day or tomorrow,
"Oh, Luke, no difference to you
wifepn
"She'd be better off without me-"
said, downheartedly.
I" But she ought not to be-"
"Ought and is are two differel
things, Mrs. Pratlet. Good night.
amt going to the tavern, although L
wager something the Squire thought
was"
"And isn't II natural enough that !
should think so, TukePn
q "Yes, yes, Mary; l don't say b
what It is" murmured Luke, in Il
same detected tone he used during Il
interview. ..
aStop,'' Mrs. Pratlet called to hir
rs his hand Law on the door latch, in
low voice. Hep is a dollar, LUX
Mr.. Pratlet gave it to me for an oilclo
10 90 in front of the parlor stove; but
will try and make the old one last Il
tle longer. And Luke, for the sake
Il your poor wife and little ones at HON
= for the sake of old times,try and do be
ter. Won't youPn