Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-03
HIS PRIZE STORY.

AVN CkAo" hdu hNCh udN II
London, and the streets were conse
quently covered with mud and slush.
A pedestrian tramprd along the wet
slippery pavement without feeling any
inclination to grumble at the weather.
His blue eyes were shining with delight,
and his hard, round hat was pushed back
on his curly brown hair, as though, in
the excitement of some pleasant thought
he had found its weight oppressive.
He walked aleng the Strand until he
came to Wellington street, when he
crossed Waterloo bridge, and eventually,
turning down poor little street beyond
Waterloo station, he stopped at the third
house in a row of dilapidated buildings
and, letting himself in with latchkey,
dashed up the stairs and burst impetu-
ously into a room on the third floor, cry
ing out:
"Good news, Muriel-the best Of good
newsl My story has been accepted"
-Oh, Jack, is it truet How thankful
am"
I'VE shall get along swimmingly now,
darling! You shall go 10 Brighton or
Hastings for week with Lulu, and gel
some color into these poor, pale cheeks;
and John Taylor stopped TO kiss his wife's
delicate face and careSs the golden hair
OF which he was so proud. They were
lovers s'ill-those two, although they had
been husband and wife for nearly three
years.
~Tiss me too, daddy-tiss Lulu inter
rupted sweet, childish voice, and
small maiden toddled across the room.
Jack caught her up in his arms, seated
her on his shoulder, apd galloped and
pranced round the room, in imitation OF
some warlike steed, until he was out of
breath.
Lack, darling, when will you get the
prizet Is it really eighty poundsf How
wonderful that you should have won il
when there are so many competitors
Muriel said, presently.
Don't decry my literary powers, Mu-
rieL am afraid my repeated failur :
have made you distrusIful," laughed
Jack. Let u hope this is the beginning
of better times. may yet become a shin
ing light in the literary world. As to the
prize, of course, it is $50. / will read you
the advertisement again"
Ii was a well-worn scrap of paper which
Jack took fl ON his pocket book, and from
which he read aloud:
The directors of the North London
Temperance society offer a prizs OF
$50 for the best temperance story, show,
ing the value of personal abstinence, and
the misery and crime caused by intoXi-
eating drinks. The competition is open
TO all. For further particulars apply al
the society's Office, Strand, W. c. In the
ordinary course OF events, l should have
had 70 wait until to morrow to know my
fate" went on Jack, but Harry Balfour,
my old college chun, is secretary TO
the society; and knowing how anxious ]
was, he managed TO ascertain yesterday
the name of the prize-winner. You can
imagine my delight, darling, when he
told me that was the lucky man"
"By-the-bye, Jack, you have not told me
yet what ali these parcels contain said
Muriel presently, -and my curiosity will
not be controlled any longer. Ihave no;
seen so many up here for a long time"
We'll, Muriel," and Jack laughed
gRyly, Il thought as | had earned IS
We could afford to be gay and festive foI
once. Here you see" proudly indicating
the parcels, -all the materials for night
of reveiry pork sausages, hJury pota
toes; two bottle OF Bass-I wonder what
the directors would say TO that-a V.enns
loaf, and lastly, some grapes for that
troublesome cough of yours"
Muriel was preparing supper, and the
shabby room looked quite cozy by the
light OF the lamp. The faded red cur
tians were drawn across the window, q
white cloth was laid on the table, and the
common plates and glasses were ar
ranged with dainty precision which did
Muriel credit
What happy supper it wasl Surely
since pork sausages were invented none
h,arr haa f-ia F,,fl
gravy ever SO deliciouSly made; no pota-
toes been so white and fioury! Such 6
supper is fit for the gods-at least, when
the sauce OF happiness and hunger accom-.
panies it.
The $50 had come most opportunely, !
for Jacks little patrimony was exhausted;
he had only an uncertain engagement OIL
the staff of a third rate evening paper |
and no help could be expected from
MurieI's father, who disowned his daugh.
ter when she ran away with-to repeat
the old gentleman's words--that good
fornothing scribbling fellow, who was
brought up in such an extravagant style, !
sir, and then LETT with few paltry hun, /
dreds." Jack says that now he will be |
able to devote some time to his novel, /!
upon which he has been engaged fol- /
some months, instead of being driven by
stern necessity to write nothing but pot |
boilers" When the clock struck II, the !
light was put out, and soon no sound was /
heard in the room but the quiet breath. !
ing of the happy sleeper.
Breakfast over, Jack hurried away, fol
he was anxious to receive his prize money
as soon as possible.
sit down, Jack, and have a look at
The Times for five minutes" said Harry |
Balfour when the two friends had shaken |
hands. Il have one or two little matters ]
tina; must be attended 10 at once"
1t did not appear as if Balfour could at !
tend much 10 the business he mentioned,
for his glance wandered continually &c
his friends bright face, and he pushed
his papers about with a nervous, i'm |
patient hand
is this eighty-pound prize a great mat !
ter 10 you, Old fellowfn he asked Jack at |
last.
Il should think it is, Harry! My wife |
has been awfuIly seedy lately-London |
never agrees with her, but could not af- |
ford to send her away, and now she can
go 10 Hastings for a week with Lulu, and
have everything the doctor orders. Yes, |
indeed, il is a godsend to me in every
way"
Balfour uttered an unintelligible ejacu- |
lation, and, after a moments gloomy
silence, roughly pushed back his chair
exclaiming:
1T is of no use; if think till doomsday
] shall never ind an easy way Of telling
you"
what is there to tell, Harry, Don't
make n fellow neryous said lack try-
ing to laugh. "You don't expect me TO