Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-30

high fever. Lawrence came and she
did not know him. Lawrence went
home and had a scene with his
father.
AS under the circumstances Pres
colt could not be employed. a doctor
from Westbrook was sent for. Ell
mira was i'll several weeks. Law
renee and his mother were assiduous
in care and attention.
Her illness cost so much that Je-
rome had not been able to make
good the deficit caused by a loan to
Ozias Lamb, to prevent a foreclosure
of a mortgage on his little home.
The loan had postponed his mill.
Sometimes Jerome reflected with
bitter amusement upon the bet made
in the village store a few years ago.
Egged on by some village ways,
DR.. Prescott and Simon Bassett had
signed before Lawyer Means a docu-
ment whereby they promised to pay
for the benefit of the poor, TEN
thousand apiece, If Jerome Edwards
should ever have twenty-five thou
sand and give it all away.
Jerome thought it the safest bust
ness deal in all creation. Mean
while he worked so hard he seldom
saw Lucina. He had not the time
to call upon her. He was sure that
they understood each other although
no formal engagement had been
made. He was sure that Lucina I'M
derstood that he could not call be-
cause he was working SO hard for
her sake. But Lucina did not I'M
derstand She grew thin and pale,
and her parents fearing decline,
sent her west for a change.
But he was not sure when she re-
turned from the west looking bloom
ing and sent him a little note, In
forming him sweetly but firmly
that they would be friends but moth
ing more.
Even then Jerome did not believe,
His faith in the girl was almost
sublime. However, he made no at
tempt to see her, and did not an
swer the letter. He worked harder
and harder.
The mill WAS built and work be-
gan. Jerome set himself a certain
sum to be earned before he went to
see Lucina.
One day the village was startled
by the news that Colonial Jack LAM
son had come into a fortune of sixty
five thousand dollars from some old
mining stock. and had gone to Boston
with Lawyer Means upon business
connected with 1t.
Shortly after that the village hsd
another shock. Abel Edwards came
home. He had been all the time
on a farm fifty miles away and had
brought home all his earnings in a
tin box.
But nobody in the village knew
that the box had been robbed in a
country tavern where Abel had staid
over night, and Jerome had replaced
the stolen gold with some from a Sc
cret hoard Of his own.
Jerome was prospecting, when one
night there came q rain that was al
most cloudburst, the brook ran in
flood, and the next morning the mill
was carried away.
Jerome for the first time gave UP
hope, when Colonel Lamson suddenly
died, and left twenty-five thousand
dollars to him, twenty thousand to
Lancfna, five thousand to Eben Mer-
rift, ten thousand to John Jennings,
five thousand to Lawyer Means.
People at once remembered the old
bet in the store. Would Jerome give
away the money. He soon set doubts
at rest. He gave the money to the
poor of the village, and a factory
was to be set up, using the money
as capital stock.
The bet was not binding legally.
Prescott knew, but did not fail to
abide by his word. Simon Basset
hung himself before he knew he need
not pay dollar unless he chose.
Squire Merritt's wife took a hand
She offered Jerome the five thousand
dollars which her husband had inner
tied, to build a new mill, but Jerome
refused, although he knew that it
meant giving up Lucina.
Mrs. Merritt said that she inferred
that he did not wish to marry Lu-
Gina. Jerome burst out with mad
vows of his love for Lucina.
Mrs. Merritt returned that he loved
his pride more. Finally Jerome yield
ed. They were standing outside under
a tree talking, and in the parlor were
Elmira and Lawrence Prescott talk
| ing. Everything was settled happily
for them. Doctor Prescott had CIV
en- his consent.
When Jerome met Lucina in the
parlor she chung to him and wept at
first, then she drew him to a little
damask sofa, and took a letter from
her pocket. They read it together.
1t was from Colonel Jack .Lamson,
dated just before his death. In it
he begged that the amount of twenty
thousand dollars be regarded by Lu-
Gina as a dowry, to be employed by
you both when you wed Jerome Ed
wards for your mutual good and
profit during your married life.
Il am, dear Miss Lucina, your
obedient servant to command and
your affectionate foster father.
JOHN LAMSON."
"P. s.: I meant Jerome's twenty
five thousand to be used as he used
i'll. L."
Copyright, 1919, by the Post Pub
fishing company (the Boston Post),
Copyright in the United Kingdom,
the Dominions, it's colonies and de-
tendencies, under the copyright act,
by the Post Publishing co.,. pany,
Boston, Mass, L. S. A. All rights re-
served.