The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-12-16


Elmira dismissed him. Then she fell
Ill, and that night was in high fever.
Lawrence came and she did not know
him. Lawrence went home and had
scene with his father.
AS under the circumstances Pres
colt Gould not be employed, a doctor
from Westbrook was sent for. Elmira
was i'll several weeks. Lawrence and
his mother were assiduous in care and
attention.
Her illness cost so much that
Jerome had not been able to make
good the deficit caused by a loan to
Ozias Lamb, to prevent a foreclosure
of mortgage on his little home. The
loan had postponed his mill. Some
times Jerome reflected with bitter
amusement upon the bet made in the
village store few years ago. Egged
on by some village wags, Doctor Pres
colt and Simon Basset had signed be-
fore Lawyer Means a document where
by they promised T. pay for the bene-
fit of the poor, ten thousand apiece II
Jerome Edwards should ever have
twenty-five thousand and give it all
away.
Jerome thought it the safest husi-
ness deal In all creation Meanwhile
he worked so hard he seldom saw
Luclna. He had NOT the time TO call
upon her. He was sure that they I'M
derstood each other although no for
NAL engagement had been made. He
was sure that Lucina understood that
he could not call because he was work
ing so hard for her sake. But Lucina
did not understand. She grew thin
and pale, and her parents fearing a de-
cline, 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, inform
ing HIM sweetly but firmly that they
would be friends but nothing more.
Even then Jerome did not believe.
His faith in the girl was almost sub
lime.
The mill was built, and work began.
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 Col. Jack Lamson had
come into fortune of sixty-fye thou
sand dollars from some old mining
stock, and had gone to Boston with
Lawyer Means upon business connect
ed with 1t.
Shortly after that the village had
another shock. Abel Edwards came
home. He had been all the time on
farm fifty miles away and had brought
home all his earnings in a tin box.
Jerome was prospecting, when one
night there came rain that was al
most a 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
Lucina, 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 factory was
to be set up, using the money as cap
ital stock.
The bet was not binding legally.
PveScott knew, but did not fail to
abide by his word. Simon Basset hung
himself before he knew he need not
pay a dollar unless he chose.
Squire Merritt's wife took hand.
She offered Jerome the five thousand
dollars which her husband had inner
tied, to build new mill, but Jerome
refused, although he knew that 1t
meant giving up Lucina.
Mrs. Merritt said that she inferred
that he did not wish to marry Lucina.
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. aud In the parlor were
Elmira and Lawrence Prescott talking.
Everything was settled happily for
them. Doctor Prescott had given his
consent.
When Jerome met Luclna In the
parlor she chung to him and wept at
first, then she drew him to a little
damask sofa, and took letter from
her pocket. They read 1t together.
1t was from Col. Jack Lamson, dated
just before his death. In IL he begged
that the sum Of twenty thousand dol
lars be regarded by Lucina as dow
~. to be employed by you both when
you wed Jerome Edwards for your
mutual good and profit during your
married life.
81 am, dear Miss Lucina, your obedi-
ent servant to command and your az
fectionate foster father.
"JOhn Lamson."
'P. S. / meant JerOme's twenty-five
thousand 10 be used as he used it,
J. L."
,-o,,r,sht ,s1o Nv the POST Publishing
company eThe Boston PosD. Copyright