The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-03-12

Squire, shrussin. his shoulders. But Mrs
PratIel kept her secret in her own heart.
1t WAS six months afterwards that the Squire
coAlc into the dlnIngroOm where his wife va,
preserving great red apple, into jelly.
We'll, we'll. "quoh he, wonders will ncve
cea,e. The Rudd'lYyes nave gone away"
| "Whcre:"
coiony. Aud they say Luke's not drank
drupul ~hiskcy tor six months"
II am glad ~ lh.l," replied Mrs. T.
at won't last long" he suggested despair
ingIy.
why not"
"Oh, | don't know; | haven't any faith in
these sudden REFORMS.
! Mrs, Pratlct WAS silent she thought thank
fully tnal, after all, Luke had not spent the
money tor liquor.
SiA mon,n-siX years; the time sped along
IN days and weeks, almost before busy little
Mrs. Prallot knew that it WAS gone. The
RuddllUv1s had retuTncd 10 So losset. Luke
had made his fortune, so the story went, tar oil
IN Eldorado.
"rhcy do say" SAID Mrs. Buckingham,
that he has bought that ere lot down opposite
the court house, ana he Is gong TO GUILD such
a house as never was"
He must have prospered greatly" observed
Mrs Pra,lei
"And his wife, she wears silk gown that
v i'll stand alone with richness / can remcm.
Der when Ruddilove was nothing but poor
drunken creature"
"All the more credit to HIM now" said Mrs
Pratct cmphaticaly.
It's To be all OF stone, with white mantels
and inlaid ileois and he has put u lot OF pa
pcrs and things under the corner one, like
they do in public buildings
We'll, that Is natural enough
II Know; yet ii seems kind q queer that he
should put q one dollar bill IN with other
things. He must have lots of money TO throw
II away IN that manner
Mrs. Pratlet felt her cheeks flush. lnvolun-
tarily she glanced towards the Squire But
he never looked around. She met Dir Ruddi.
love that afternoon for the first time siace his
return to SquOssct-Luke himself, save that
the demon intempcrance had been completely
crushed and his better nature triumphlng ut
last. lie locked her brightly in the face and
held out his hand, saying but the one word:
Mary"
TREMENDOUSLY she replied; II am glad to-
SEE you here again"
When Luke had overcome his emotion he
continued
"Do you remember that stormy night when
you gave me that dollar bill aud begged me
not To 60 to the tavern"
Yes"
That night WAS the pivot on which my
whole destiny turned. You were kind 10 me
when sll others gave me naught hut the cold
shoulder. You trusted me when all other
faces were averted That night took vow
to myself to prove worthy of that confidence,
and kept it. ! treasured it up, and Heaven
has added nightly to my little store. | have
nm ll ne q
house, for It arose alone from that dollar till.
| won. offer to pay you back, tor am afraid"
he said .m,llngly, THE luck would go from me
with 1t. But IN tell you what will do; I'll
give money and words of trust and encour.
igement to some other poor wretches as you
gave to me-"
The next day Mrs, Pratlet received from the
delivery man at her door bundle which,
when she had opened it, revealed 10 her aston
shed gaze the most beautiful piece of 0ilcloth
lcr eyes had ever behed. This naturally ut
ractcd the Squires attention; and when Mrs
pratet told him all he only replied with some
.motion "You we've right, and was wrong"