The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-03-11
TAKEN PRISONER.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

! NY Stil' uiit Stb WIG IiOHSN, VI 81
know the reason why"
Mr.. Mathew Dean was IL PARTON
larly bad hunor this raw December
morning. Everything had gone
wron6. Stocks had fallen when they
ought 10 have risen-his clerk had
tipped over the inkstand on his spec.
ial and peculiar heap of paper--th 6
fire obstinately y refused to burn in the
grate--in short nothing went right
and Mr. Dean was consequently cor.
rcspondinglv cross.
"Jenllins"
"Ycs, siI!'
"Go to the widow Clarkson's and
tell her shall be there in half at
hour, and expect conlidently-mind,
jenkins, confidently, to receive tn,
rent money Or else ! shall feel my.
self obliged to resort to extreme
measures, You understand, Jcn.
kins?"
Certainly sir"
"rhen don't stand there staring,
like an IDIOT snarlcd Mr.. Dean, in q
sudden burst Of irritation, and Jcn.
kins disappeared like shot
just II half an hour afterwards Mr..
Mathew Dean brushed the brown hair
Just sprinkled with grey, away from
his square yet not unkindly brow,
putting on his fur-lincd overcoat, he
walked forth into the chilly Winter
air fully determined; fgurstivcly, 10
anniLilate the deiaulting widow Clark
son.
1t was a dwarfsh little rcd brick
house which appeared originally to
have asplred to two story hood lot,
but cramped hy circumstances, had
settled down into a story and half,
but the windows shonc like Brazilian
pebbles, and the doorsteps were worn
by much securing. Neither Of these
circumstances, did Mr.. Dean remark,
Us he pulled the glittering brass door
knob, and strobe into Mrs. Clarksol.'s S
neat parlor.
There was a small fire-verv small
rs if every lump of anthracite was
boarded in the stove, and at n table
with writing implement before her,
sal a young lady whom Mr.. Dean at
once recognized as Mrs. Garrison 5
niece, Miss Olive Mcllen. She was
not disagrecabie to look upon, though
yon never thought of chasing her
among the beauties with shining black
hair, blue, long lashed eyes and a
very pretty mouth, hiding teeth like
rice kernels so white were they.
Miss Mellcn arose with q polite nod, -,
which was grimly rcciprocated by Mr.
Dean.
II have called to see your aunt, Miss
Mellen."
II know it, sir, but rs I am aware
of her timid temperament, | sent her
away, ] prefer to deal with you my
self"
Mr.. Dean started-the cool audac-
ity OF this damsel in grey, with scar
let ribbons in her hair, rather aston
ished him.
81 suppose the money is ready?"
"No, sir, it is not"
"Thcn, Miss Olive-pardon me, |
must speak plainly-I shall send an
officer here this afternoon to put n
valuation on the furniture, and"
You'll do nothing OF the kind,
sirw
Olives cheek had reddencd and
her eyes flashed portentously. Mr..
Dean turned toward the door, but ere
he knew what he was doing, Olive
had walked quietly across the room,
locked the door and taken out the
kcy--thcn she resumed her scat.
"What does this mcan?" calculated
the astonished "prisonsr of war"
sit means, sir, that YOU will now
he obliged to reconsider the ques-
tion," said Olive.
"Oblgcd?"
"Yes-you will hardly Jump ont of
the window and there is no other
method of egress unless you choose
to go up the chimney. Now, then,
Mr., Dean, will you tell me if you--a
Christian man in the nineteenth cen
tury-intend to sell poor widows
because she is not able to
pay your rcnt?"
"Listen, STRIP
Mr.. Dean had open his mouth to
demonstrate, but Olive enforced her
words with q very emphatic little
stamp Of the foot, and he was, as it
were stricken dumb.
"You are what the world calls
rich man, Mr.. Dean. You own rows
of houses, piles Of bank stock, rail
road shares, bonds and mortgages
who knows what? My aunt has moth
ing--I support herby copying. Now,
if this case be carried into court of
law, my poor ailing aunt will be a suf-
ferer--you would emerge unscathed
and proiting! You are not bad
man, Mr.. Dean, You have a great ma
ny noble qualities, and like you for
them"
She paused moment and looked
intently and gravely at Mr., Dean
The color rose to his cheek--it was
not disagreeable to be told by pref
ty young girl that she liked him, on
any terms, yet she had indulged in
pretty plain speaking.
II have heard" she went on, "of
your doing kind actions when you
were in the humor of it. You can do
40 81. IL L. =