The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1904-09-30

me: lie held up glittering gold In his
hand, but he gave me none of it. Oh.
do not chide me! You know not what
| have Sutfered-What hours of agony
| have paSSed-and you know how cold
my heart is now. On. my wife, would
to God l had listened to your'
"Ah" calmly whispered the faithful
wife, as she drew her hand across her
husbands heated brow. Mourn not
for what is lost. | will not chde YOU,
1t is hard thus for you to lose your
scanty earnings, but there might be
many worse calamities than that, Cou.
age, James; we will soon forget it,"
And Mr.. Rowse will foreclose the
mortgage. You will be homeless"
murmurcd young Lanning in broken
accents.
NO; will see that all is safe in that
quarter added Hannah.
At that moment the baby awokc. and
the gentle mother was called to care
for it. On the next day, at noon, Han.
nan LanninS gave her husband a re.
ccipt for SO from Mr.. Rowse.
"Here,' said she interest is paid,
Now let us forget all that has passed,
ana commence again
But how-what has paid thisq"
asked James, gazing first upon the re.
ceipt and then upon his wife.
Never mind"
"Ah, but must mind. Tell me. Han.
nah"
WELL have sold my gold watch"
sold it,!
But | can buy it back again. The
man will not part with it. if | want it.
But don't want it, James, till we are
able. Perhaps | shall never want it.
You must not chide me, for never do
l derive enc iota of the pleasure from
its possession that | now feel in the
result of its disposal"
James Lannon Clasped his wife to his
bosom, and he murmured a prayer, and
IN that prayer there was a pledge.
= Il
Two years passed away, and during
that time James tanning lost not sin.
gle day from his work. He was as
punctual as the sun, and the result
was as sure.
1t was late on Saturday evening
when he came home. After supper. he
drew a paper from his pocket, and laiG
it upon the table.
There, Hannah" said he, while 8
noble pride beamed in every feature,
there is my mortgage. I've paid it
every cent. This house is ours; it is
our own house. I've bought it with |
dollars, every one of which has been
honestly earned by the sweat of my
brow. l am happy now"
Hannah Lanning saw that her hus.
band had opened his arms, and she sat
down upon his knee and laid her head
upon his shoulder
"Oh, blessed moment" she muir
INJURED.
Yes, It is a blessed moment" re-
'ponded her husband. DO you remem.
Der, Hannah, the hour of bitterness
hat we saw two years ago."
The wife shuddered, but made nc
'eply.
"Ah," continued the young man, 81
lave never forgotten that btteI lesson
md even now l tremble when I think
low fatally 1 was deceived by the
empter that has lured so many thou.
ands to destruction"
But its horror is lost IN this happy
said Hannah, looking up
With a smile.
Its terror may be lost" resumed
ames, "but its lesson must never be
orgotten. All, the Turing lottery ticket
as a dark side-a side which few see
ntil they feel it,"
Are not all its sides dark" softly
sked the wife. IF there is any bright
ess about it, it is only the glare of the
atal ignis fatuus, which can only
lad the hayward traveller into danger
nd disQuiet."
You are right, my dear wife. Yor
'ere right at first. All" he continued,
s he drew the faithful being more
lOsely to his bosom, "if husbands
'ould oftener obey the tender dictates
the loving wife, there would be fa1
ss misery in the world than there is
oW. "-Waverley Magazine.