Year: 1875

with sunset colors, making an arch
through which the October sunshine
glittered with every breath of the fra
grant south wind. Beneath, an emerald
carpet of moss with here and there a
fleck of color where a tinted leaf had
fallen. On the messy roots of an old
tree, Luella Campbell sat making a
wreath of autumn leaves. Her COM
panion, Gus Hill, was stretched at full
length on the ground, handing the leaves
within his reach.


want to say just here, dear reader,
before describe them to you, that they
are not characters of novel or a ro-
nance; but just such personages as you
and | meet every day. In short, they
were human beings with all the faults
and frailties Of the rest of us.


Gus Hill was the only living child of
Abijah Hill, wealthy lumber merchant
in the town of Hudson. His mother
was dead, and a maiden aunt kept house
for his father. His profession was that
of lawyer, but he has inherited his
mothers property; so it wasn't necessa-
ry for him to practice to obtain his daily
bread.


Right here all his temptations COM
menced. For Satan finds some mis-
chief still for idle hands to do !" that
was true a good many years ago, and il
hasn't lost its truth yet. | know / al
ways skip descriptions of peoples per.
sonal appearance, so | viii simply say
he was tall, and blonde. Perhaps you
think he looked insipid well he didn't
and he wouldn't if he'd parted his hair
in the middle and waxed his moustache
The old-established citizens of H
said he was an idle extravagant young
dog, with good enough in him somewhere
which good they were afraid would die
for the want of proper cultivation. Nol
was this all it was rumored that he had
been seen intoxicated the night of Mrs
Kidder's party. Most of the young
men knew he drank little you know
but of course not to excess" A mar
may take arsenic and not die from its
effects but man who does not take it
certainly will not die from its effects.


have told you of his bad habits SC
to be just | must tell you some of hi:
good ones. He was truthful, generous
to fault, always evea-tempered, and q
young man of more than ordinary abili
ties ; but unless some saving power in.
tervened, it was evident to many that
he would go to ruin.


Luella Campbell was the youngest
daughter of family of five childre L
She was a lovely girl. Strictly speaking
she was not beautiful. Her large haze
eyes and almost perfect form, were hel
only claim to beauty, and yet she was
called The Beauty of H." 1t was her
pure soul, her loving and merry disposi-
ton, which made her so, rather than
beauty of form or feature. After this
long depression we will return to our
story.


Gus and Lu had been walking in the
woods, and now before going home they
fingered few moments as / have de.
scribed. He was saying,


So it is tomorrow night, you young
ladies make your attack upon our hearts,
and-pocket-books2


Yes" she replied, laughingly. "Be
sure you are well supplied with both,
you will need all you can muster"


What are you to do?" he asked.


q" Q, I'm to be post-mistress there
will be large mail for you, Gus"


Well, is there anything / can do to
make myself useful, beside buying waste
paper "


!" Yes, lots of things, shall call on
you for any and everything


| shall be at your service all the eve
ming"


They ehatted merrily the remainder
of the way home, where Gus left Lu, to
write letters for the post office, grave and
gay, merry and merciless. She had
written a number when she thought of
Gus, and how much he needed an earn
est appeal from some one to reform. The
idea occurred to her, Why not II
might write a letter and give it to him
from the post office tomorrow night"


She took her pen and wrote him a
long letter, showing him just where he
stood, the danger he was in from intem-
perance, and also from doing nothing.
She advised him to leave II for a
time, as he could more effectually break
off from old associates, and begin life
anew. She signed the letter, 4" A friend
who speaks in your sainted mothers
name" She sealed it and wrote his name
upon it, so she should make no mistake.


The evening of the fair was all that
could be desired. The town hall was
brilliantly illuminated for the occasion.
All were there, for it was held for
charitable purpose, and H--'s towns