Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-06-29


tho tavern, / shall not miss my oil
cloth"
And there was n conscious flush on her
cheeks Us if she had done something
wrong when she joined her husband i'll
the sitting room.
"Well," said Squire Pratlet, 'has
that unfortunate gone at last.
"Yes."
ITO the Stokes tavern, SUPPOSED"
81 hope not. Josiah.
"Tm afraid it's past hoping for, said
the Squire, Struggling hiH shoulders.
But Mrs. Pratlet kept her secret i'll her
own heart.
1t was six months afterward that the
Squire came into the dining room where
his wife was preserving great red apples
into jelly.
"Well, well, quoth he, wonders will
never cease. The Ruddiloves lave gone
away"
"Where!'
Il don't know-out West somewhere
with a colony. And they say Luke's
not drank a drop of whisky for SIX
months.
81 am glad of that" replied Mrs. p.
1T won't last long, "he suggested des'
pairinglv.
"Why not?"
"Oh. 1 don't know; L 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 liquor.
Six months-six years; the time sped
along in days and weeks, almost before
Dusy little Mrs. Pratlet knew that 1t was
gone. The Ruddlloves had returned to
Seauosset. Luke had made his fortune.
as the story went, far off in Eldorado.
"They do say" said Mrs. Bucking-
ham, ''that he has bought that ere lot
down opposite the court house, and he
is going to build such house as never
YVES"
He must have prospered greatly, "
observed Mrs. Prstlet.
.And his wife, she wears silk gown
that will stand alone with its own rich
ness! can remember when Ruddilove
was nothing bnt poor drunken crea-
ture."
"All the more credit to him now, "saiG
Mrs. Pratlet. emphaticallY.
at to be all of stone, with white
mantels and inlaid floors; and he has
put lot of papers and things under the
corner one, like they dc in public build
ings."
"Well. that is natural enough"
~ know, yet 1t seems kind o queer
that he should put dollar bill in with
the other things. He must have lots of
money, to throw it away in that man
ner."
Mrs, Pratlet felt her cheeks flush.
Involuntary she glanced toward the
Squire. But he never looked around.
She met Mr.. Ruddilove that afternoon
for the first time since his return to Sc
uuosset-Luke himself, save that the
demon of intemperance had been COM
pletely crushed. and his better nature
triumphing at last. He looked her
brightly in the face, and held out his
hand, saying but one word:
"Mary."
Tremulonsly she replied: 81 am glad
to see you here again"
When Luke overcame his emotion he
continued:
'sDo you remember that stormy night
when you gave me that dollar bill and
begged me not to go to the tayern?"
"Yes."
'That night was the pivot on which
my whole destiny turned. You were
kind to noe when all others gave me
naught but the cold shoulder. You
trusted me when all other faces were
averted. That night 1 took a VOW to
myself to prove worthy of your conf
dence, and kept it. treasured it up,
| and Heaven has added nightly to my
little store. I have put the bill i'll the
corner stone of my new house, for il
arose alone from that dollar bill.
"I won't offer to pay yoT back, fol
am afraid" he said smilingly, ''the lucl
would 60 from me with it. But I'll tel
YOU what I do; I'll give money anC
words of trust and encouragement 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 to her astonishmed gaze th'
most beautiful piece of oilcloth her eyes
had ever beheld. This naturally attract
the Squire's attention, and when Mrs
Pratlet told him all he only replied, witt
some emotion: "You were right, and
was wrong"