Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-02-15

ruined by the extravaganza Of his wife,
and that unless he Immediately collected
his debt, he would certainly lose it.
As soon as she had done her washing
on Monday, she made some calls, sand
embraced the opportunity of comment
ing freely upon that new cloak. The
women told their husbands that Mr..
Burton would certainly fail;-and be-
fore three days had elapsed, there was
quite ferment in the place.
Nobody knew anything about Mr..
Burton's affairs; he seemed to be doing
good business though no one knew of
his having any money. He did not
even own the house in which he lived;
he had no property, but his stock. The
careful old farmer, to whom in the
course of trade he had become indebted
for produce which he sent to Boston,
began to be alarmed by these rumors.
1t was in the State of New Hamp-
shire; and at the time of which / write,
the grab law was in force, and is still
for aught l know.
One morning, as Mr.. Burton returned
from journey to neighboring town,
he found his stock attached on the claim
of Farmer Waxwell-and all on ac-
count of that new cloak his wife had
worn to meeting on the preceding Sun
day.
He had not the means to pay the notes
at that moment, and while he was con-
sidering plan TO extricate himself from
the dilemma, the news that his goods
had been attached, spread all over the
place. All the creditors were in hot
haste to follow the track Of Farmer
Waxwell-for it was first come, first
served'-and in less than two hours a
dozen had fastened upon the stock of
the store.
This was a tremendous result to fol-
low in the train of thirty dollar cloak,
and gossipping old woman.
What do you think now, Miss Vi
ney?' asked Mrs. Maxwell, as they met,
soon after the store keepers disaster
had been made public.
Il hope Mr.. Burton will be able to
pay his debts
But he WON'T know he won't!'
Probably if they had given him any
notice of their intention to demand the
payment of their claims, be would have
been prepared TO meet them
4 guess Mrs. Burton will not feel
quite SO stuck up after this
Il hope you have done nothing to
bring about this sad result
But have, 1 made my husband sue
his note, and when he put on the others
did. Thirty dollar cloak, indeed!'
1 am sorry you have done this; you
may ruin Mr.. Burton by it.
That's Just what mean to do?' and
Mrs. Waxwell's malignant expression
betrayed the jealousy she had so long
harbored.
you did 1t was very unkind and
ungrateful in you to do so, replied Miss
Viney, Indignantly
'Humph.'
ANY trader would be likely to come
out badly to have all his creditors
pounce upon him without giving him a
chance to collect his debts
4 don't believe he has any to collect.
Even your husband, as well off as he |
is, might be embarrassed if suddenly |
called upon to pay his debts and Miss
Viney looked significantly at her angry
companion.
L doubt it.
He may have trial. said the maiden
lady. as she moved towards the store.
What can she mean by that!' thought
Mrs. Maxwell.
Miss Viney had some property of her
own, and it was all in the hands of
Farmer Maxwell, who had, on his own
account, invested the greater part of it
in railroad stock.
That is what she meant. She would |
claim the three thousand dollars her
husband owed her, and cold chill
passed through her veins as the thought
struck her. Farmer Maxwell was rich |
in houses, land and stock, all of which /
yielded him good income; but he had |
not three thousand dollars in money,
and it might cost him some trouble to
raise it.
Don't cry, my dear, have enough |
due me in Boston to pay these debts,
ten times over said Mr.. Burton to his
wife, who was much alarmed by the
storm which threatened them.
What will people think?'
What will they think when 1 pay
them all; the whole amount is not above
nine hundred dollars
just then Miss Viney entered the
house. In a few words, she explained
the circumstances which led to the sud
den strike among the creditors.
Mrs Burton, Kind soul, shed flood
of tears when she heard how cruel Mrs.
MAXWELL had been-she whom she
nursed with all the tenderness of
mother, when the frightened neighbors
fed from the contagious disease.
Never mind it, my dear. We may
expect anything from a meddler. gos-
sip, a slanderer, said Mr.. Burton. III
must start for Boston in the noon tram
ALLOW me, Mr.. Burton;- : to offer you
the money to discharge these liabilities. |
I have three thousand dollars in the
hands of Mr.. MAXWELL
You are very kind, and / accept your