The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-06-16

otanWOou, which maze ner almost wish
that Heaven had taken the dear boy tc
litself;--the conviction was that she wal
most wFetchedly poor, and consequently
friendless.
The physician sent in his bill for attend.
ance on the child, and Mrs. Stanwood went
instinctively to the money box; but as she
put her hand on the lid, she remembered
that il was empty. aud worse than that, she
knew not where the sum she required could
be obtained.
As she sat, after the departure Of the ply
sician's boy who had replied to her veryrdd.
| ely, when he was told she was at present un.
able to pay the bill, but would do so at the
earliest moment possibIe--vainly attempt.
ling to discover some way by which to pro.
cure the money, sprucely- dressed young
man, with small, sharp features, cadaver.
Gus complexion, and light blue, restless
eyes, came with quick, uneasy gait up the
path to Mrs. Stanwood's cottage and knock
cd, hesitatingly, at The door.
II was Mr.. Owen, the storekeeper, who
during the three years be had been doing
business at Oakdale, had not lost, it was
said, single debt Tho doctors boy had
stepped into the store, on his way home
from Mrs. Stanwood's, and had Informed
Mr.. Owen Of the result of his call on the
llady. For moment after the youth went
OUT the storekeeper, who had no other Gus.
toners in his shop, stood lost In thought;
and then, after closing his shop door, he
turned over hastily, the pages Of his day
book. For the little business he did, il must
have been the register of some months back
at which the young man was looking, but yet
ha INN AZ, sV,s 4 III Il
lines to his accounts, and after drawing up a
bill which he put In his pocket, he started for
Mrs. Stanwood's
Mr.. Owen was a very polite, gentlemanly
young man. He was very.happy to find Mrs.
Stanwood and her family so WELT he hoped
they were getting along very comfortably -
He had called to see if she weuld like to sell
her COW; he was expecting to commence
housekeeping soon, aud would like to pur-
chase one.
Mrs. Stunwood could not spare her; milk
was half her children's living.
al suppose you would hcrdly know how to
do without her." said Mr.. Owen, shut |
thought it would be agreeable to you to set
tie with me by letting me have the COW, than
it would to---,'and the young man, inter-
fupting himself pulled the bin from his
pocket.
"Settle with you, sir!" said Mrs. STAN
wood, "you have no demands against mel"
"Your husband, madaml--you will recol-
lecthe had several articles Of me few weeks
before he, barrel of -four, Mrs. STAN
wood. fifteen pounds of sugar, a keg ofmo-
lnses, ind several other articles amounting
in all TO tribe more than twenty dollars. %
"Twenty dollarsl" repeated Mrs. Stan
wood, :" my husband never had an account
at store siri" There was tone of incred.
utility in her voice, but the unsuspieious Mr..
Owen, did not notice it.
Probably you have not always been ac-
quainted with his manner of doing business" /"
remarked the young man. "Your husband,
my dear madam, has proved himself to be a
very different person from what yotI. OF any
one else suspectcd!" and there was a look Of
great commiseration on bis countenance.--
A deep flush overspread the lady's pale
face; but we're not his words true!
II cannot pay you to-day, sirr' she said,
as she rose from her seat and turned from
her visiter, II will see what can do to-
morrow"
III hope you will madam!n returned Mr..
Owen as he took up his hat to go, "for," he
added, in very mild but emphatic tone,
al should be extremely sorry to give you any
troublel"
Mrs. Stanwood knew very we'll what the
young man meant by trouble--she knew that
unless the twenty dollars are paid him inn
medlately, an alta chment would be laid on
her property; and she feared from the remark
of the Doctors son, that his father would take
the same means to collect his dues. But
where was the twenty dollars to come from?
and where was she TO obtain means to supply
the daily wants Of her family! The stock
of provisions in the house when her hus-
band left her, three months had very nearly
exhausted. Her garden would supply her
with food for the winter, but she could see
no way to procure bread for her children till
the harvest was ripe, except by means she
dreaded to resort to-the hiring Of money.
With an aching heart she put on a shawl
and bonnet, and called at the Office Of Squire
Jillson, an honest, but rough coarse Land
requested the loan of forty dollars.
Mr.. Jillson opened his great grey eyes,
and stared on her in utter astUnshment. =
"Did understand you, mudam!'
~ presume so, sir!" answered the lady.
81 wish to hire forty dollars. Ihave occa-
sion for the immediate use of that sum-"
The Squire looked at her sa If he suppo-
sed her entirely demented.
~ should be pleased to oblge you, mad
am?' he said, but you certainly cannot ex-
pect me to let you have that sum without
security, and you have no security to give"
"No security, sir!" said Mrs Stanwood.
II hope to be able TO to pay you in the
autumn; for we shall have very fine fruit
this year, considerably more than will be
needed in my family. But without the pros
pect Of immediate payment, why should you
hesitate TO loan me that sunni The cottage
we occupy is our own!"
A broad smile passed over the ugly fea-
lures of the man. "You know not, then, OF
the existence of this instrument he said,
as he put n paper in her hands.
Mrs. Stanwoodu it: for in an instant
she could see nothing but the name OF her
husband affixed to the document, but the
words Of the brute before her, made her
glance over the paper.
"You see, madam!h said the Squire, "thut
come into possession OF the property on the
twentieth OF September; and shall expect
the cottage cleared by that day, as have
already engaged a tenant rit. You have
been using the early vegetables pretty freely
! understand; and as for the matter ofthat,
you have right tto--that is, the things which
are fully ripened; but all which should not
be harvested till after the twentieth Of Sep.
tember, madam, belong TO mew
"Can it be possibleg" shrieked, Mrs. Stan
,nzaI .,,.;v -, knx hay4do a., agr,,ts, 50 ~.